Cover issues and invites...

It is looking less and less like this will be the cover.

The agency can't track down the photographer, but a person there who knows him well says he is unlikely to approve it because of the colourwash and text over the image.

It's one of his favourites.

I understand that. I wouldn't want someone editing my work without my permission, and I wouldn't want them to turn a piece into something other then itself, if itself was already as I loved it. (grammar, woman!)

So. Yes, I just went and cried. And yes, it's awful, as all the promotion's been done with that cover, and its built up recognition already. And yes, it won't be the same without it.

But hey.

Worse things have happened.

and I'm handwriting invites to the launch today... so lets hope the Foundling Museum doesn't fall down.



.

GOOD COMPANY, ANTIDOTE TO THE BLUES...

Hey, no point in being depressed about the cover problems. I can do nothing about it, and I know that Salt will do all they can, both to sort the problem, and if it all falls flat, they'll come up with something brilliant instead!

So look at what's coming out later this week, from Salt Modern Fiction.




Richard Bardsley's BODY PARTS

Now THAT has to be on my list of 'must reads'...
.
.
.

My lovely cover....

Might not be my lovely cover. I have to face that. I heard today that the photographer has not given his approval for the use of his photo in this way, and is being chased to do so.

So, I am sad, to say the least. He's away travelling, apparently, and unless we can get his agreement in the next day or two, ....

PROOFREADING

Oh I am such a bad proofreader. My brain works creatively, and I don't SEE any little glitches. I read the words as they were born.

It's bad enough proofing a story for publication submission, or for a competition.

I won't let anyone else do it, because it's MY responsibility.

So. This is how this writer does it:

1) Make coffee or tea. Feel inspired to get going on proofreading.

2) Drink coffee or tea, and make a phone call or two. Feel a bit guilty that I haven't started reading my own work yet.

3) Wander up to the computer and write a flash. Feel even more guilty.

4) Go downstairs, put fre on, and sit down with my proofs. Read half a story.

5) Realise I am READING the story, NOT PROOF-READING.

6) Make more tea.

7) Find that the cat is curled up on my proofs, by the fire.

8) Start reading the story again.

9) Tell self 'Cor, this is good. Did you write it? When was that then?'

10) Smack own wrist. Get ruler, and tray.

11) Follow each line separately holding ruler underneath.

12) 150 pages, 31 lines, .... 4,750 lines.



13) Find it extraordinary that I only found eight tiny twiddles this pass.

Final Proofs...

The final proofs arrived yesterday afternoon. One hundred and fifty something pages. Now all I have to do is find that chicken...

(For new visitors... Charlotte Chicken is my editorial assistant, seen below at work on the first proofs...)

The Difficult Question of Reviews

It's vital that a book is reviewed independently. But how on earth do you achieve that?

I have to say I am impressed with the numbers of Salt titles that end up with a review in the broadsheets, and of course, that would be a real dream. Every review is valuable. Its out there for people to read... giving the book a stronger profile every time. (Of course, you can do nothing to influence the content... you just have to hope... but the exposure is GOOD.)

And like everything else, I can't sit back and assume it's just going to happen. I need to do my bit.

So, anywhere I see books reviewed seriously, I email to ask whether it might be possible... and it is lovely to report that several have said 'yes, send me a copy'.

------------------------------

Aside: I am a reviewer myself, for The Short Review LINK HERE

If you want to find insights into short story collections, new and classic, take a look.

LONDON LAUNCH AT THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM

The Foundling Museum; the perfect place to launch this book.

The room shown above, the gallery, will be where we hold the launch. This is a family 'do'. I have older son organising the wine, younger son desperate to get off school for the evening, husband helping with guest lists.

Why is this place perfect? For many reasons. I am drawn to the place personally, and have been ever since I was introduced to it by the friend to whose memory the book is dedicated, Jan Newton. She was a patron. We shared the often difficult experience of being adopted kids, as do many of my closest friends. And The Foundling Museum gave all of us a strong sense of validation.



I'm taking the whole place over for an evening, so guests have the place to themselves. They can wander at will round the collections, ask questions, enjoy, and be moved. This is an extraordinary place.



The Museum is a tribute to the collaboration and vision of three men, a sea-captain named Thomas Coram, a musician called George Frederic Handel, and a painter called Hogarth. It is a beautiful, outstanding place. It will be a privilege to bring friends here.

Foundling Museum Website HERE

I quote from the website:

The Foundling Museum not only showcases the Foundling Hospital art collection and the Gerald Coke Handel Collection but most importantly tells the story of the 27,000 children who passed through the Hospital between 1739 and 1954.

Readings; getting 'out there'

Well it's lovely to have a book on the chocks, but you can't sit back and relax! It's not going to market itself.
Quite rightly, Salt Publishing expect their writers to put in a lot of effort to complement the effort Salt put in themselves.

So, so far, the organised events, readings and so forth are as follows:


Feb: workshop with group of would-be writers, wanting to write and wanting to talk about Glass Bubble.

March: 2 private launch parties, 1 London, 1 Sussex.
1 workshop with book, Sussex


April: 2 reading groups Scotland,

May: 1 maybe 2 reading groups Sussex.

July: Reading slot at West Cork Literary Festival, Ireland.

September: Reading Group Sussex


I am delighted to come and read, do a workshop. 1 hr from home, is perfect, further might need talking about.

Quotations, ellipses...

We're off into The New Year, with a request for a story file from Jen at Salt, advice on dropping an ellipses from a story title, and a deep think about a quotation.

The quotation is

"You make a living from what you get. You make a life from what you give."

And it was said by Sir Winston Churchill.

Now I'm no rampant anything, politically, other than definitely left of centre, and I couldn't care less who said it. I found the quote, it perfectly sums up the friend to whose memory the book is dedicated.

But mention of Sir W C will not go down well in all quarters, it seems.

So, out it comes.

Sorry Winston.

More endorsements, more postcards, my webpage

The postcards in Christmas cards was a good idea. Now, whenever I see friends, it is they who start the conversations...

"Thanks for the card... the book looks great... love the cover... what's this, a book!...tell me about it... etc etc

and in the jeans pocket are a few more cards. So if there's someone in on the chat who wasn't on my Christmas card list, I can hand them one legitimately!



I had some more endorsements, and they are lovely. One says I have 'the heart and soul of a writer'...

Salt have put my webpage up, detailing the stories in the collection (needs a bit of revision) and my bio.

But most important, for this writer at least, my endorsements.


CLICK HERE FOR MY WEBPAGE AT SALT PUBLISHING