Obsessions

Megan Taylor thinks my blog is fabulous. Thank you Megan, yours is rather fine as well.

Now, as part of accepting this lovely award I have to do meme shenanigans. Namely: List five obsessions. Megan offered 5 obsessions in her writing which I may do as well. We'll have to see how I feel further into this post (it's feeling like a long day already!).

Nik's Obsessions (or what he's obsessive about - are they the same thing?):

Fountain pens. (Like you didn't know that.)

Stats for this blog. (Yes, I'm watching you.)

Getting writing right. (A hopeless one.)

Not being too sensitive. (As above.)

Birds. And leopards. I really like leopards.

And writing obsessions? Why not. 

Loss.

Death.

Love.

Seeing things differently/ loneliness

People not being able to get things right.

Or perhaps they're more themes. 

***

Now to tag five peeps, whose blogs I think are fab, to interpret this meme as they see fit, should they want to.

I tag:

Caroline Smailes

Tania Hershman

How Publishing Really Works

Cally Taylor

and Sue Guiney

***

And talking of leopards, I think Legadema here is about my favourite. Watch her try to mother a baboon cub. Quite, um, wow.

That Editor's Ear

Sorry not to have posted here in a little while. I don't know what came over me. I have told myself off.

I wasn't sure what I was going to post here aside from apologies and saying that I've been writing a lot (which I have) until, oh, about two minutes ago.

It's about editing. Now, we all know, as writers, published, unpublished, almost published, that editing's essential. It's what changes a story from a good idea into something that others can understand. It makes something good, better, or something very dodgy into something wonderful and cohesive. Editing's where the work is.

This is my editing process:

1. I write the story, with a pen, in a notebook.

2. I type it up, making changes as I go.

3. I print it off and read it through, making changes as I go. This stage is repeated until I'm happy that it's Almost There.

4. I read it aloud (and record what I read). - Often things stand out as being obviously wrong AS I'm reading* and can be changed there and then (and this can be anything from unintentional rhymes to structural problems or things simply not making any sense). 

5. I listen to it back. Make changes. Go back to stage 4. 

And so on.

And I just wanted to share with you what I picked up on at stage 4 earlier. Something that reminded me why reading things aloud helps me so much.

*This is what I'd written. And no, I'm not related to Yoda in any way.

"... and when the spots, the colour of clay, on his legs appeared."

So there you go. Any editing secrets you'd like to share? 

Your Questions Answered

Okay then. Let's see. Last week I asked if there was anything any readers of my blog wanted to know and I received a few questions. So now to answer them as best I can.

From Lauri:

I want to know do you write short stories with that snazzy pen?

Pens for me are for notes-creativity happens on the computer.

 

The snazzy pen Lauri’s referring to is my new Pelikan. And the answer’s a definite Yes. A couple of years ago I thought: I’m a writer so I really ought to own a nice fountain pen. So I bought one (A Lamy 2000 for those who are interested). And I bought a notebook. And something changed. It was the writing process, my writing process. Instead of putting a rough first draft of a story straight onto my computer I created it by hand. This felt, for want of a better word, more organic. I felt as though I could take more time with it. Play around with it more than I could on a computer. Start things again. It definitely provided more freedom for me and also made me feel as though the stories I was writing were truly mine. And a notebook and pen are far more portable and less obvious than a laptop.

 

The biggest advantage I’ve found with writing first drafts longhand is that editing is so much easier – usually. I can be more selective about what stays or goes when I’m typing it up, and so the process of typing up becomes a half-edit. It works for me. Not that all the stories I’ve written like this are wonderful; there have been some stinkers.

 

Mostly though, I like the actual act of writing. It feels more intimate.

 

But I reckon it all comes down to what works for you – and I was definitely someone who used to do all the actual writing on the screen, using books for nothing but notes.

 

Now I use a Pelikan Traditional, or one of a few older ones, in a Moleskine, and with Pelikan brown ink. Just so you know.

 

Jessica said:

Your starter for ten, How old were you when you decided being a writer was the thing for you? and also, do you have any plans to write a novel?

Plus - if you could be any book in the world which one would like to be?

 

Um, not quite sure. When I was at school I was convinced I was going to be a rock star. I wrote a lot of songs. And then, as I mentioned here, thanks to two wonderful teachers – one of English and one of history – I discovered First World War poetry. I started writing poetry then, I think. And the odd story.

 

Then back in 2001 (I think, it might have been the following year) I was made redundant from the car dealership I’d worked at since I’d left school. Which was a shock but also an opportunity. I’d always fancied writing so, instead of going out and getting another job straight away I decided to do what I could to learn how to write. Initially I wrote features and had a little success with magazine and papers. And then I tried fiction which I found came really naturally. Then, when I was 25,  I wrote a children’s book...

 

Do I have any plans to write a novel? I don’t know. Do you think I should? The short story’s what I’m comfortable with (in a good way) and what I love, but I’d never say I wouldn’t write a novel. I’ve written at least two very bad ones in the past. And there are a couple of things I’m working on now which could end up being novel length. I guess we’ll all have to wait and see (me included).

 

Which book would I like to be? God, that’s a difficult one! According to the quiz I did a little while ago I’d be Anne of Green Gables. I’d probably like to be in anything Aimee Bender or Etgar Keret’s done, for the experience. Or a Star Wars book, so I could have a lightsaber. I’d take any with a happy ending though.

 

And May wanted to know:

Do you ever ask yourself if you are doing anything you can in order to become a good/famous writer?

 

That’s a really good question. I certainly like to think I’m doing all I can to become a good writer (that’s the goal, I’m not too sure that fame’s all that attractive) – some days I even feel like one. I read a lot. I write a lot. I revise a lot. I run workshops. I run a writing group. I share my work with good and trusted writer friends and reciprocate that. I do readings. I actively seek publication. I blog. I’ve had a book published and toured it.

 

The one thing I haven’t done is taken any sort of formal training. I’d never rule that out but, really, I’m not sure that’d be for me.

 

And really, when I detach myself from me and look at me from a distance away, I see that I’m right at the beginning of a career, or what I hope will be a career. I’m a newby. And on happier days I think I’m quite happy with what I’ve achieved so far. I’m young and I haven’t been doing it that long. I think my biggest problem is my impatience. That and the fact that I have really high expectations of myself and if anything I work too hard to combat all that pressure. After all, this isn’t an easy job – far from it. The competition, although mostly lovely people, is fierce because those lovely people are so damned good at what they do.

 

So am I doing my best to be a good writer? I try and I want to learn. And I think that’s about all I can do.

 

I think the fame thing’s worth mentioning. I don’t think that there can be many people who achieve fame through writing if achieving fame’s their reason for writing. I’ve said this many times before but I think being good (and/or successful) is a million times more important than being famous. And there’s a logical pattern to this:

 

If your writing’s good it’ll, more than likely, get published, which means it’ll be read by people. And so on.

***

So there you go. Bit strange taking so much time talking and examining myself. If there's anything else you'd like to know feel free to ask.

***

Now it's back to writing for me.

On Writing and Place - An Interview With Me

A litttle while ago (well, months probably) I agreed to write a short piece on writing and place for Tania Hershman's excellent blog. I started it many, many times over but couldn't work out what I wanted to say. I knew what I thought about it, and I thought that that thought was a simple one. But just like that last sentence it was far more complicated than I'd anticipated.

Anyway. I'm interviewed today over at Tania's blog, about writing and place. I think it makes sense. It does to me now. I'm interested to know what you think of it.

Click here for the full interview.

What Would You Like To Know?

So, it's been a week of writing and of getting up to date with things. I am reasonably pleased with my progress though, as ever, there's still an awful lot to be done. So not much interesting to report here I'm afraid (aside from mentioning that the writing has been doing with my super new pen).

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Is anyone on Goodreads? Look me up if you are. I've just given 5 stars to both Sarah Salway's Tell Me Everything (a brilliant story about stories) and Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions (a brilliant story about people).

***

I was wondering: Is there anything anyone would like me talk about on here? Any questions you'd like to ask? Anything you'd like to know? I can't promise any responses will be sage and or/interesting but I'll certainly have a go...

It's Poetry Time - Interview with the Organiser of National Poetry Day, Jo Bell

October 8th,  for those of you who might not know, is National Poetry Day. Which is a very good thing. 

Another good thing is below, an interview with Jo Bell. Jo's a poet, the organiser of National Poetry Day (October 8th) a runner of workshops and, amongst many other things, a very lovely lady. So, on with things...

So, Jo Bell. Who are you? What do you do?

I have no idea, actually, but I always seem to be busy. I call myself a ‘poetry professional’ because most of my work is poetry based. I work freelance and my main job is to co-ordinate National Poetry Day across the UK. I also write commissions such as a recent series of poems on food for the National Trust. I do readings and performances such as themed evenings based on Christmas or gardening. I run workshops to help people write poetry and I’m doing a lot of work in Derby, where I hope to be poet in residence at the new hospital next year. 

 

What is National Poetry Day? How can people get themselves involved?

National Poetry Day is the biggest celebration of poetry in the UK, and this year it falls on Thursday October 8^th. Our theme is ‘heroes and heroines’ (yes, technically ‘heroes’ would cover it). The Poet Laureate herself, Carol Ann Duffy, has written a poem for us and you will hear a lot of poetry on the radio and TV. There will be hundreds of events across the country run by poetry-lovers; poetry marathons, readings at libraries and festivals, children’s events, performances. Visit our website www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk to find out what is going on near you. If there isn’t anything listed, then do something yourself – get your writing group to discuss poetry, organise a poetry reading at the library….

 

What do you think makes a great poem?

Its truthfulness; it has to chime with the reader as a true reflection of the world. Its use of language – using the right word in the right place, with no linguistic showiness – and its imagery. A good poem should show you afresh something you’ve seen many times before, and make you examine it closely for meaning.

And what makes a great poet?

The ability to write a great poem. Nothing else.

 

How do you think poetry and prose are related? Siblings? Cousins?

Close but bickering relations, circling the table at a family gathering and eying the same sausage roll. We tackle the same material in very different ways: I love good prose, but would have no idea how to start writing it.

 

It’s a (kind of) well known fact that most of the poetry sold today is poetry written by people who are no longer among the living. With that in mind: which living poets’ work would you point us towards?

Read Daljit Nagra for his ‘Punglish’ take on multicultural London; Tobias Hill for precision and observation; Wendy Cope for wit and battle-of-the-sexes truths; Clare Pollard for youthful savviness. Oh, and me, for poems about sex and boats.

 

I saw you in the brilliant show, The Fourpenny Circus. Can you tell us a little about that?

It’s a show that uses costume, props and a bit of simple choreography to make poetry appealing. Let’s be honest – people expect poetry readings to be bloody boring, and they have good reason to think so. But years ago I saw the brilliant poet Michael Donaghy, a mesmerising performer of his own work. He showed me (and many others) that poetry should be well written and well performed, to really move people. When I was Cheshire Poet Laureate in 2007, I corralled my predecessors into a live roadshow, Bunch of Fives, which was a huge success. So we had to write another one, and are now on the road with Fourpenny Circus. It’s lively, silly, serious and engrossing. We want to get our poems over to people who wouldn’t normally identify themselves as poetry fans; and if that means me wearing a top hat and jodhpurs, I’m willing to suffer for my art.

 

Tell us a secret.

My first name is Alexandra. No-one has used it since the day I was born.

 

What’s next for you?

National Poetry Day on October 8^th, followed by a short period of lying down in a darkened room. Then Fourpenny Circus has an autumn tour; then I’m very involved in planning a festival in Derby for next summer, and hopefully a couple of poet-in-residence projects. I hope 2010 will be my busiest year.

 

Anything you’d like to add?

Yes. Does anyone know how I can make time to write some poems?

 

 

***

 

Jo Bell was born in Sheffield. After a career in professional archaeology she began to work in poetry, and is now a full-time poetry professional. She is the co-ordinator for National Poetry Day, and other work includes performance and workshops. Living on a narrowboat, her place of abode is not fixed but she travels the waterways in search of an inspiring mooring with internet access.

Click here for Jo's blog.

***

Here's Joy Winkler, a fellow member of the Fourpenny Circus team performing a piece from the show at the launch of the 20 Photos & 20 Stories book launch earlier in the year (all proceeds of which will go to The Alzheimer's Society). There are still some copies left - visit my online shop to buy.

Just a Quick Note, Saying Sorry

Sorry. I've let myself get behind with things. So for those of you who are waiting for things from me, I promise you'll have them soon.

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Incidentally, I think I've found a way to be more efficient. It's this: examine your life. Identify the things in it that you don't need, don't like and/or make things more difficult than they ought to be. If they're not essential: get rid of them. (NB. This does not only apply to routines or processes. It can include people and extra cups of tea as well, for example.)

Short Story Advice From a Great

Almost a Perfect Moment

(Pic from here.)

I was walking past my bedroom on my way to the office earlier when I heard something tapping at the window. I opened the door and almost had a heart attack when I saw what I took to be an enormous (we're talking bird sized here) wasp. I thought, for a moment, I was in Dr Who; it's far more scary than you'd think.

It wasn't a giant wasp. It was a coal tit and it was stuck (coal tits aren't renowned for their window opening skills).

So, when I'd remembered how to breathe again I opened the window for it. I almost didn't, I didn't want to cause it any more panic but then pretty quickly realised that the longer it felt trapped the longer it would be panicking for.

So, I opened the window wide.

And it was strange. Birds always move so quickly, in jutting bursts. This one didn't. It was fluid and controlled. Strange. It perched on the sill for a second and seemed to take a few breaths, to compose itself, before flying away, back to happiness. And I wonder if maybe we (I probably mean: I) should do the same. I'd not realised just how small they are, or how intricately and beautifully patterened their feathers are.

If it hadn't have pooed on my bed it would probably have been a perfect moment.

(And yes, go on, make up your own jokes.)

***

And while I'm talking about birds - how cool is this? Watch for the woodpecker...

Quick Read

Just a quick post to let you know that I've a very short story, Blink, up over at Ink, Sweat and Tears.

Michael Kimball Interview

Every now and again I read a book that knocks my socks off. It is not something that happens very often, which is probably a good thing because it means when I do find one like that it's rather special. Slaughterhouse 5 knocked my socks off. Aimee Bender's short story collections knocked my socks off. So did Etgar Keret's. Caroline Smailes' Black Boxes knocked my socks off. So did Frankenstein. To name but a few (have a look through the blog for others - most have been labelled The Incredibles).

The most recent socks-knocker-offer was Dear Everybody by Michael Kimball. It's right up there with the best I've read. Ever. It's clever, sensitive, heart breaking, moving, funny and many, many other wonderful things. I can't say enough nice things about it. Honestly (like you can't tell!) I loved it. (Scott Pack reviews it far better than I ever could here. He says: "If you go out and buy this on the back of my review then you won't be disappointed, and if you are then you need to give yourself a slap." And I think he's right.

I was thrilled to be able to tell Michael Kimball how much I loved it. And thrilled also to be able to ask him some questions.

And here are the results:

 

So, let’s begin. Could you tell us a little about Dear Everybody and a little about where it came from?

Dear Everybody started with one short letter, a man apologizing to a woman for standing her up on a date; the man is wondering if they had gone out that night, if maybe his whole life would have been different, better. At first, I didn’t know then who was speaking or that it was a suicide letter, but I did have a strong voice and a skewed way of thinking. That one letter led to a rush of about 100 letters—Jonathon, the main character, apologizing to nearly everybody he has ever known—and the novel opened up from there. Most of the novel is Jonathon’s letters, but it also includes newspaper articles, psychological evaluations, weather reports, a missing person flyer, a eulogy, a last will and testament, and many other fragments, which taken together tell the story of the short life of Jonathon Bender, weatherman.

How much, structurally, was planned?

I didn’t plan the novel, structurally or otherwise. The beginning of it was a surprise to me, one of those happy surprises that sometimes happens during a good bout of writing. And the structure came out of an episode when I printed out all the pieces of the novel, basically one piece to a page, and laid them out in my dining room--all over the dining table, the chairs, any flat surface. I started putting things in a kind of order that way and the chronological structure came out of that.

 

How does Dear Everybody compare to your other books?

Because of the structure, Dear Everybody is different than my first two novels, but there are some similarities. An obvious similarity is that all three novels use multiple narrators—3 in The Way the Family Got Away, 3 in How Much of Us There Was, and a couple of dozen in Dear Everybody.

 

What ingredients are essential in a piece of fiction for it to be great?

It starts with a great sense of language and a particular perspective that somehow creates an original voice. The story, whatever happens, it all comes after that.

 

Has writing the book changed your opinions on mental illness and suicide?

I had a certain sympathy for those suffering from mental illness and/or those who have to deal with suicide, in whatever form, but as much sympathy as I had, I now have more.

 

Tell us about you. Who is Michael Kimball? Does he write letters?

That’s a difficult question. I’m still a writer first, both the novels and the life stories, but I’ve been working with film a lot lately. I don’t write so many letters anymore, but I used to write a lot of them. In fact, it was after I stopped writing letters so much that Dear Everybody came into being.

 

Could you tell us about 60 Writers/60 Places, and postcard life stories?

The postcard life stories (click here to view) -- I call it a collaborative art project. I interview people and then write their life stories (on a postcard). I have written postcard life stories for people from the UK, Canada, South Africa, Portugal, Russia, Finland, Uganda, Zimbabwe, the Philippines, Greece, China, Italy, and a man who claims to be an alien. Besides people, I have written postcard life stories for two cats, two dogs, an apple, a fictional character, and a literary magazine. One of the things that I have learned is that there are life stories everywhere.

60 WRITERS / 60 PLACES is a film about writers and their writing occupying untraditional spaces, everyday life, everywhere. It begins with the idea of the tableaux vivant, a living picture where the camera never moves, but the writers read a short excerpt of their work instead of silently holding their poses. Blake Butler reads on the subway, Deb Olin Unferth in a Laundromat, Jamie Gaughran - Perez in a beauty salon, Tita Chico in a dressing room, Tao Lin next to a hot dog cart, and Jessica Anya Blau at a swimming pool. The writer and the writing go on no matter what is going on around them.

 

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve been given?

Cut anything that you don’t absolutely need. That thought continues to guide me.

 

What’s next for you?
I’m finishing a new novel – Friday, Saturday, Sunday – and will keep writing postcard life stories. This fall, there will be a few screenings of I Will Smash You -- a film I made with Luca Dipierro. And Luca and I are almost done shooting 60 Writers/60 Places -- and plan to have that ready to screen in the spring.

***

Michael Kimball’s third novel, DEAR EVERYBODY, is just out in the US, UK, and Canada (http://michael-kimball.com/). The Believer calls it “a curatorial masterpiece.” Time Out New York calls the writing “stunning.” And the Los Angeles Times says the book is “funny and warm and sad and heartbreaking.” His first two novels are THE WAY THE FAMILY GOT AWAY (2000) and HOW MUCH OF US THERE WAS (2005), both of which have been translated (or are being translated) into many languages. He is also responsible for the ongoing art project—Michael Kimball Writes Your Life Story (on a postcard)—and the documentary films, I WILL SMASH YOU (2009) and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES (2010).

Things That Make Me Happy (Is This a Meme?)

Nothing big, nothing drastic. Just a few small things that have made me happy lately...

1. My hand is ok. I've been getting odd twinges in my right hand for a couple of weeks. So I went off to see the doctor who said it was nothing more than the overuse of the muscle and nothing to worry about. This is good for two reasons: it means I'm probably not going to die from it and that I don't need to worry - something I've a tendancy towards.

2. I have been writing. Now, this might not sound all that odd (I am a writer after all) but writing's good and being able to do it means my head's in a better place than it has been of late.

3. I've just finished a notebook. It contains, aside from a few flashes, one Bigger Project I've been working on. That means I've made progress. That means work has been done. And I can see a shape to it now. All good.

4. My latissimus dormi are not hurting. That means I've been able to get back to jogging. I'm slow, I think I look an unlikely keep (get?) fit person, but after eighteen months of not being able to do any sort of physical exercise, it's very pleasant to be able to do something. Though the four minute mile is a long way off.

5. I've been reading a fair old bit and have found some gems. Lizard, I've mentioned below and interviewed its author here, was hugely enjoyable. I read The Virgin Suicides which is great. Michael Kimball's Dear Everybody absolutely knocked my socks off. Clare Wigfall's The Loudest Sound and Nothing contains some of the best short stories I've read. And the current book, Princess Sarah Salway's, Tell Me Everything is brilliant.

6.The weather's changed and it's reminded me how more more comfortable I am with autumnal, even wintry, weather.

So there. And this feels like the makings of a meme. So if anyone else would like to post six things that have made them happy, then I think they should do so.

Guest Post - Faye L Booth

Hello and happy Friday to one and all. I've something a little different for you today. A guest post. For the first time in this blog's three year history (it turned three last month) I'm letting someone else take the wheel.

So a very warm welcome to Faye L Booth, whose second novel, Trades of The Flesh is published today and who will be talking about the Second Novel Experience. Over to you Faye...

Picture by Cartmel Photography

Somehow, I'm just about to release my second novel.  An interesting state of affairs, because I still don't think the reality of my debut coming out has hit me yet, and now I have two books out there in the world.  Eeek. 

 

The lovely Mr Perring has given me a platform in his blog to talk a bit about The Second Novel Experience, and to begin with I should probably explain, for those of you who've never heard of me, a little bit about my first- and second-born.  I write Victorian-set historical fiction, and Cover the Mirrors, my debut tale of bogus mediums, passionate affairs and the art of flirting with the aid of the language of flowers, was first published in hardback by Macmillan in 2007, with a paperback following the year after, as well as large print and audio editions, and a Romanian translation in the works.  Today sees the release of Trades of the Flesh, which features pornography, prostitution, dissection of corpses and other savoury things I can't wait for my family to read about, and I'm pleased to report that this first edition will from the off be a recession-friendly mass market paperback, as well as appearing in a promotion in WH Smith Travel branches.

 

I write all this as if it had truly sunk in, but to be perfectly honest, I'm still as wide-eyed and amazed about the whole thing as I was when I opened the first email I ever received from Will Atkins (my editor at Macmillan), offering to publish Mirrors.  So really, publishing my second novel feels a lot like publishing my first – weird, wonderful, and the stuff of dreams. 

 

Mirrors wasn't just the first novel I had published, it was the first novel I'd written full stop.  (Previously, I had been a short story girl.)  And while every author learns a great deal with each novel they write, no matter how experienced they are, I think there's an extra educational element to picking up your pen or sitting down at your keyboard to write your second book, because for the first time, you're no longer in completely unfamiliar territory.  (I clarify that by saying “completely”  as each book is always that little bit different to those that went before it, so starting a new project is never old hat.)  When I started Trades, I knew that I could write full-length fiction, and so at least I didn't have to wonder whether I could tell a tale of 80,000 words as opposed to 4000.  Plus, I began working on Trades as soon as I started sending Mirrors out in search of representation and/or publication, and so I was well into it by the time I got that wonderful email from Will.  Because of this, I think I avoided one of the common struggles of writers working on their second novels, a lot of whom reportedly find, if they begin writing Book Two after Book One has been published or accepted for publication, that they are consumed with performance anxiety – that “dance as if there's nobody looking” situation no longer applies, and the author is left wondering: will Those In Power like their second novel as much as they liked their first, or will they hear those words that are dreaded by artists of all stripes: “I prefer your older work to your newer work”?

 

I know, I know – from the perspective of an unpublished writer, that's an enviable 'problem' for someone to have, isn't it?  I don't think many second-time novelists would complain about being in that situation, though – it's just a matter of the challenges a person faces altering along with their situation, that's all.  And as I say, Trades was conceived and (largely) written while publication was still a distant dream for me, so it's not even something I can claim to have experienced myself.  So did the performance anxiety hit when I started on my third book?  Not to an excruciating degree, now I think of it.  The experience of writing (and editing) two books naturally enhances one's sense of what does and does not work, and so I think my standards and expectations of myself are getting higher with each subsequent book (this is why artists are always their own greatest critics!), but writing most of my second novel before my first hit the shelves highlighted for me one of the most important lessons I think a writer has to learn; namely that your best writing comes when you write first and foremost for yourself, and worry about other people later.  That kind of passion and sincerity can't be faked, and the stories that come from deep within you, without any worries of what other people will think about them, flow that much more freely not only when you, the author, sit down to write; but also when the time comes for the reader to share in your vision. 

 

If there's anything I'd like to say about writing a second novel, I think that's it, and all that remains is to for me to offer my heartfelt thanks to all who bought and enjoyed my first novel, and those who will do so for my second.  It's incredibly humbling, and if my stories have entertained you, I'm delighted to hear it.

 

Thanks to Nik for letting me waffle!

 

 

Preston, 1888: as the century draws to a close, the prostitute murders in London have made young Lydia Ketch's 'trade' a political issue. Lydia, the tough but optimistic daughter of a former workhouse inmate, has spent a year working in the 'introduction house' of Kathleen Tanner, a job that has given her an income few others could match. When Lydia meets Henry Shadwell, a young surgeon with a passionate interest in biology, the two develop an instant - and non-professional - bond. And Henry soon enlists Lydia's help in his underground sidelines; first as a model for pornographic photography; then as an assistant in procuring corpses for medical experimentation. With the dangers of her own line of work becoming clearer by the day, and her newfound delight in her own sexuality burgeoning, Lydia becomes disillusioned with her life as a prostitute. And it soon become clear that her trade - and Henry's - are even more dangerous than either had imagined.

Trades of the Flesh is a gripping novel about the body and its desires, from a precocious voice in historical fiction.

Click here to buy.

Hello

I just thought I'd say a little hello. It's been a while since there's been much of me on here with all these rather splendid interviews and all - which I very much hope you've all been enjoying. I really hope you have as there are still a few more to come, and let me tell you, I'm excited about them.

Not much to report other than I've been able to get back to writing, which has felt great.

There. Just to prove I've not died.

Special Birthday Post

A very warm welcome back to my very good friend, the super-talented Tania Hershman, who's here to talk about things one year on (and is also here to talk to us about a free book giveaway...).

 

Tania, September 1^st is a bit of a special date, isn’t it? Can you tell us why?

It's the first anniversary of a dream come true, a dream I have had since I was 6 years old. It is the day, one year ago, when my book, The White Road and Other Stories, was published, the day no-one can ever take away from me, the day I became an author.

 

 

What’s happened over this last year?

It's been quite a rollercoaster year, the highs were very high, but they came with some pretty bad lows. On the day of publication, I didn't have a copy of my book yet, it hadn't reached me in Israel, although other people had it in England. The day before Sept 1^st I was pretty upset about this, it felt as though I'd given birth and someone else had my baby and I couldn't see it.  However, the day itself was wonderful! I was utterly serene, I loved every minute of it. And then, when my book arrived a few days later, it was a wonderful, magical moment all to itself.

           

Because I am published by a small press, Salt, even though they are amazing and they made me this beautiful book, most of the marketing and promotion was and is down to me. And I have no clue about selling a book! Well, perhaps now I have a bit more of a clue. So, basically, I made it up as I went along. I built a website for the book, I set up a Facebook Page, I organised a hectic 11-stop Virtual Book Tour where I was interviewed on 11 blogs over 11 weeks about everything from my love for science to writing and religion.... I cajoled as many people as possible into writing reviews....I obsessively checked my Amazon rankings, searching for some indication of whether what I was doing was working. And whirring through my mind, all the time, was: “How can I sell the book? How can I sell the book?” It was a bit of a shock, having to not only become a salesperson but having to overcome my natural modesty and shyness and shout out: “Buy my book!” but every time I find it on the shelves in a bookshop, just after Hemingway (!) I am close to tears.

           

Getting used to the idea of people reading my book was another odd thing. I didn't imagine many people would, and I never dreamed that they'd want to talk to me about it. And slowly, slowly, over the 12 months, I have had to get used to the idea of people I don't know and who are in no way related to me who want to talk to me about my stories!

           

I would be lying if I said that this was pure and unadulterated joy. I would be lying if I didn't say that I found some of this extremely stressful. I am going to be honest here and say that I got to a point, several months in, when I felt completely overwhelmed by it all, by the unexpected attention in my home city as well as online, and it caused me to physically retreat from the world for a while. I am by nature quite a shy person, and I began to suffer from anxiety for the first time in my life. My body, it seems, decided to protect me in rather an extreme manner!

           

However, luckily, I have a rich online life and I have wonderful writer friends who understand that while many people would assume having a book is easy and joyful, it can also be difficult. Your dream has come true, so what do you do next? And who are all these people reading your book??! But – and this is important – I wouldn't have it any other way. It is totally wonderful. When someone says to me, “I don't normally read short stories, but I really enjoyed your book,” there is nothing better than that! And when New Scientist magazine not only gave my book a glowing review in their Christmas Books Special but also published the title story, which is inspired by a New Scientist article,  on their website – all my wildest dreams were realised!

 

 

What’s been the biggest surprise?

Being commended for the Orange Award for New Writers was an enormous surprise, and a shock! I had no idea I was being put in for the award, and found out about the commendation from a Google Alert for my name. But somehow, while I couldn't get my head around my book being noticed in this way, what I felt about this was pure and unadulterated joy. It lifted me, that the judges said of me and the other commended writer that they want to see more of our writing. It made me grin and grin and grin.

           

The other surprise, though, is that I thought that the validation of my book being published would last for a while. The “your writing is good enough” feeling. And yet, the very next day, September 2^nd, I was back to checking on the stories I had submitted to contests and to literary magazines, wondering when they might reply to me, hoping they accept what I'd sent, that I might get longlisted, shortlisted. So, 24 hours of validation. That's it. But again this is a good thing. Otherwise I might have stopped, rested on my laurels, not cared. The stories in my book were written between 2003 and 2006, I have many stories, mostly flash fiction, written since then, and am writing more all the time. I don't want to stop. I don't want to stop caring. Each acceptance is a boost, but I never want to feel so complacent, so confident that it doesn't matter anymore.

           

And the third surprise was finding out a few weeks ago that I am currently Salt's bestselling book – and no 4 on their all-time bestsellers. That was hard for me to process, I just don't know what to make of it other than that it doesn't really have much to do with my writing (lots of people may have bought it, but they might not have enjoyed it) but that my marketing efforts definitely did pay off! I was doing something right, it seems.

What’s the biggest change that being published has been responsible for?

Hmm. Biggest change. Well, it's not in my bank account! I guess that it's about my confidence. This has been an enormous shift for me, from writer to author. I had had stories published, but to hold your book in your hands, as I am sure you know, Nik, is a completely different feeling. And when the Orange commendation happened, this intensified: I felt suddenly that I  was being seen, and that I could do anything. I am still feeling that way, happy in my own writer's skin, writing what I want to write, not what someone else might want me to write. There are several agents I am in touch with, but I don't feel in a rush now with anything.

 

 

Is there anything you’d have done differently?

Another good question! I don't think so. I really don't. No regrets. I am a first-time author, I learned as I went along, everything was useful. Other writers were enormously supportive and helpful, the Bookarazzi Bloggers with Book Deals group especially, they listened to my rants and moans and gave me the benefit of their experience.

 

 

Has anything disappointed you?

Going to the Orange Awards ceremony was the biggest disappointment. Even though some might say I was ungrateful, I felt I had to write about this on my blog because I was so upset. First, it wasn't about books, it was about champagne and shmoozing, which I was naïve about so now I know! But Salt was going through enormous financial difficulties at that point, and a mention at the awards ceremony of the two of us who were commended could have been wonderful for them. The stated aim of the award was to give new writers a boost, so not to mention the two of us who were singled out for commendation was a shame.

           

But then, the worst disappointment came when the judge of the award, which is for “novels, novellas and short story collections”, told the assembled throngs how much she enjoyed reading “all the novels on the longlist”. Short stories? Gone. Novellas? Vanished. On the bus home, I cried.

 

 

What have you learned?

I've learned that I can sell something, that I am pretty good at this Web stuff and can use it to promote my writing. I've learned that it's sometimes more about creating “buzz” than about the quality of the writing. I've learned that it's ok to ask people to buy and review your book, it isn't vulgar or shameful! I've learned that being published by a small press is most certainly not a disadvantage, that Salt loves their authors and the books they publish and are doing everything they humanly can (and sometimes more) to keep on doing what they do. I've learned not to put enormous stock in what reviewers say, both the glowing and the critical. I've learned not to respond to questions about particular stories because I have to let them go, it's not about me any more, it's not up to me to “explain”.

 

 

Do you think that there’s been a shift in the perception of the short story at all over this past year?

I don't really see it myself. As editor of The Short Review, we get many offers of short story collections for review every week, so there are more out there than you might think, but are mainstream publishers shoving aside novelists as they rush towars the hot new short story writer? No. They aren't. Foolish, foolish people! But at least there are publishers like Salt, Comma Press, Two Ravens Press, Dzanc Books, Rose Metal Press and others who are championing great writing in whatever form it happens to be. Please support them!

 

 

What will this year bring?

A calmness, I hope, and a move away from thoughts of promotion and selling towards more focus on writing, but not necessarily on “the next book”. Just writing for the joy of it. Last week, we  relocated ourselves and our two cats from Israel, where I  lived for 15 years, to Bristol, UK. It seemed the right choice for many reasons, among them the thriving arts scene here. In Israel there is no funding body for artists and writers, and if you are writing in English, there is not much of a literary scene. I am already looking forward to reading at the launch of the latest issue of the London Magazine  (ICA in London, Sept 11^th ) and at Ride the Word XV (The CAFE YUMCHAA 45 Berwick Street, Soho, London W.1 Wed. 23 September, 7- 9.15pm Free admission), and to hearing Margaret Atwood in Bristol on Sept 9^th, and then going to the Small Wonder short story festival in Lewes, E Sussex at the end of Sept. It feels like a treasure trove of delights, and it's all in English... which is certainly a relief and a delight. 

 

I have many, many ideas, some related to short stories and cake, which I am looking forward to developing! Nik, thanks so much for having me. Just a quick last promotional plug: I'm doing a 1^st birthday giveaway of signed copies on my blog, so pop over there and you could win!