Pride and Joy

I used to stay with a French pen pal when I was younger and I remember being in awe of a bookshelf unit that took up the whole of one huge wall. Multicoloured spines squeezed together, fat shiny tomes waiting to be read. My parents had books, but they were scattered, dusty things - hidden in corners, unloved.

So I vowed to myself that one day I would have a wall of my own.  This isn't the only bookcase in the house, but it's the main one - shared with my husband.  It gives us a lot of pleasure.

The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters (TwentyTen Challenge)

This was my first Sarah Waters' novel and not necessarily my last.

The mammoth publicity drive certainly contributed towards my desire to read the book, but I was also attracted by other elements of the story.  I'm a sucker for gothic ghost tales, especially ones written by reputable writers so it was inevitable that I'd end up buying it eventually.

The best compliment that I can give Waters is that the novel did lead to uneasy nights. Not screaming horror or cold sweat uneasy - just unsettled.  I experienced a faint sense of decay after closing the pages - so much so that I didn't take the book on holiday even though I was halfway through (I finished it when I came back).  The sickening combination of evil, sex and class-divide reminded me of the The Turn of the Screw.

I liked Faraday's character too.  Dull, yet privately and possibly, unconsciously  - ambitious. He changed throughout the story, as Waters stripped him bit by bit. Very effective.

But unfortunately, there were flaws too.  The plot was too drawn out.  I know that she was trying to layer the suspense and character development, but at points the pace became unbearably slow.  I nearly put the book down several times out of sheer boredom (luckily the hook was stronger than the editing).  I also became frustrated with the Ayres family. Yes - I know that it was a matter of pride, but WHY did they stay in the house?? Sorry, but it didn't ring true.

I'm still sitting on the fence about this one. In many ways, it's close to being a classic, but I'm not sure whether it's tight enough.  Only time will tell.

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness (Twenty Ten Challenge)

I'm so behind in my reviews this year, despite having read a good few books on the original list so thought I'd get back on the train by sharing my thoughts about The Knife of Never Letting Go (inspired by the review at Bart's Bookshelf)

The first word that springs to mind is exhausting - in the best possible way.  This book is relentless.

Set in a future world on a colonised planet, it tells the story of thirteen-year-old Todd as he runs from his disfunctional male-only town with his dog Manchee, chased by a gang of ruthless men for an unknown reason.

Sounds cryptic? Well it is, but the truth begins to dawn piece by piece as the hunt unfolds - revealing the horrific secret about the town and about Todd's destiny.

Like the majority of readers out there, I thought that the book was superb. Ness has a distinctive writing style that's immediate and vibrant.  He's a master of voice. You feel as if you know the characters intimately, including the loyal Manchee (who has to be one of the most beautiful animal characters ever created). I laughed, cried, held my breath right until the shocking cliffhanger at the end.   I've not bought the other two books in the trilogy yet, but they're high on my list. Ness is a gifted writer.

YA Highway Giveaway

I've been checking in at the YA Highway website since it launched a year ago.  I love the fact that it's written by a collective of majorly talented YA writers and the weekly YA news round-ups on Field Trip Fridays are essential reading.    Now to top it all, they're running an amazing three days of giveaways.

Today's giveaway (Day Two) - celebrating the one-year anniversary - is for those who write and is open to international fans. The prizes are pretty special  - agent and writer critiques from some of the top names in the business.  Get in there!

Turning the Cube

I have lots of evolving ideas for my next novel, but it hasn't quite fit together yet. I'm turning the form around in my head constantly to get an angle, to see where the weight drops into place.

This concept of the turn has intrigued me recently, especially after reading the summary of Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (a book top of my wishlist right now).  Without giving too much away, some of elements of the novel are similar to a draft that I wrote last year (to be revised), but her premise blows mine out of the water.  And so obvious, so simple! Why didn't I think of that? Why not, indeed.  Because it's bloomin' difficult, that's why.  The talent to mould the story and capture a unique slant is pure craft. 

So I'm focusing on this aspect until I get it as near as possible.  Spinning 360 degrees.

YA Hiatus

I've had a break from reading YA recently. Actually, that's a lie because I did manage to fit Corbenic into my bookpile (and I'm glad that I did - it was great - lots of shadowy crossovers between myth and reality).

Aside from that though, I decided to go back to adult fiction for a few months to see what was happening over there.  As usual, I went straight for the creepier titles - The Little Stranger, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and my favourite of the three, The Owl Killers, which I'd been wanting to read for ages. I enjoyed them all, but I couldn't help making comparisons with YA.

The first, most obvious difference was the length of the narrative. The adult authors gave themselves licence to explore characters and situation in detail - sometimes in too much detail. There were times when I wanted the author to cut to the chase, to edit.  The second variance was that society seemed to make much more of an impact on the lives of the characters. They were constrained by expectation, wealth, habit and accepted this to a large degree. It was as if they had already chosen their box.

It was this second observation that led me to understand why I love YA so much. The characters are still in the process of consciously choosing their path.  They are free to a certain extent, evolving and that gives them power, an openess that many older people have lost.  Not to say that adults can't change, it's just that they've usually funnelled their desires down by the time they appear in a book.

Linger Trailer

Maggie Stiefvater's trailers are just as lovely as her books...

Happy Birthday Puffin!

I am very much enjoying Puffin's 70th birthday party website.  It's very pretty and full of fun things to do. There's even a quiz for grown-ups, although I'm ashamed to admit that I can't answer most of the questions.

Like most dedicated readers, I have happy memories of stashing Puffin books under my bed - ready to read by torchlight as soon as Mum was out of earshot. I've saved those dog-eared copies from countless binbags over the years and they're still on my bookshelves today.

I also have to thank Puffin for my first public appearance as a writer (hoping that they'll give me another opportunity one day!).  I made the pages of the Derbyshire Times in 1985 when Puffin Post published my short story "The Sandals and the Unsuspected Witch". The story was pretty good, although I'd rather forget the photograph (me with grey elastic headband and cheesy grin). Good days.

Is it love or just infatuation?

I think I'm in love. I can't stop thinking about my story. My life feels kind of empty when I'm not working on it.

I soooo want this to be the real thing, but I'm scared.  What if it doesn't work out? What if I invest in something that's not meant to be? I could potentially gamble three, six, twelve months of my life on a futile quest.

But on the other hand, I could hit jackpot. This could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

This could be the one.

Taking IT Seriously

The one question that I ask myself repeatedly is "am I taking this seriously enough?"

I've been writing hard for about a year and a half now. One revised novel, and one first draft, one professional editorial report, three beta readers, a critique group and a blog.  I'm definitely committed, but I always feel as if I can do more.  What about the conferences, the competitions? Where are the short stories, the teasers? I haven't even enrolled on a creative writing course yet!

How far do I have to push myself? Is there any such thing as enough?

I don't think so.