February 2013
A Sparkling Tuesday
I have been busy working on several novels and several stories simultaneously. This is not as tricky as it sounds because most of the work involved is editing and I’m very used to dipping in and out because that’s the nature of life as I know it.
Anyway, Tuesday brought some very good news. Linen Press are very keen on my novel ‘A Cage of Rooks’. Lynn Mitchell loved the writing which I’m so pleased about. So many reviewers seem to love the ‘pared-back style’ of many writers. I have to say, I prefer to read work in which the writer obviously enjoys language and what it can do. Ok, be economic, don’t waste words but what’s the point of writing if you don’t love language enough to explore it and set it running. It adds another dimension, I suppose. It’s a dangerous line to walk, too much and it becomes ridiculous. It’s diwn to personal preference, I guess.
Anyway, ‘The Cage of Rooks’ is Baroque in style, as is the architecture and story and some of the characters. The language weaves and tangles as does the main character.
Linen Press is a small publisher without a marketing department so, if they did publish the book, it would involve a great deal of legwork on my part. Lynn Mitchell was up front about this and all credit to her for that.
Tuesday also brought an acceptance for my story, ‘The Cellist and the Wolves’. I am really pleased about this. The language is quite flighty. I wouldn’t describe the voice as ‘pared-back’ at all but it is economic in that, I have worked on rhythm and sound and repetition and I think I have got those elements to work well together. Similarly the plot is pretty economic, I hope.
The editors asked if I’d like to send another copy of the story, ‘how I’d like it to be published’. I had another look and realised I must have edited it through for an American magazine or else clicked on a blanket US spell check. There were loads of American spellings. I’ve got rid of those anyway. I’m pleased I gave it that extra look. I’ve been so concerned with cutting it back that can’t have noticed them. Odd though. I think I might put that down to ‘Autosave’ because the laptop crashed out on a me a few times over the weekend.
I’m in two minds, or perhaps three. Should I do the series of writing workshops at Sutton House. They run across four Sundays. It would be really interesting and creative (no feedback) and I should produce some new work as a result. It is also very good value, which can never be ignored and I could go to a concert or four with Mima on the Saturday evenings.
OR should I
