Author Interview: Ben Banyard talks poetry, inspiration, and plans for the future!
Ben Banyard is a Bristol-based poet who is currently doing the rounds - online and around the country proper - to publicise his latest poetry collection, We Are All Lucky. An unashamedly optimistic collection, this short but beautiful release shows Banyard shine a light on what is undoubtedly a dark old world at the moment, bringing in helpful amounts of hope at the exact time we might need it. After enjoying the collection so much, we thought it was about time we grabbed Ben for a chat to see what exactly happens behind the scenes of his writing...
Firstly, congratulations on your recent book publication! How does it feel, having those words out there now?
Thanks! I love the fact that the book is making its way in the world. It’s quite surreal to imagine someone sitting down to read it – especially a complete stranger!
Obviously we’ve got our own review of the book online this weekend – which readers can find by clicking here – but aside from our much-deserved flattery, what sort of responses have you had to the book?
I’ve been bowled over by the reaction so far. You know when people are just being nice, and there’s been none of that so far! Reviews are often hard to come by and I’ve been very fortunate that quite a few people have taken the time and trouble to publicly praise it. And one of the best things about a review is that it will often point out things about your writing that you’ve never noticed before. For instance, someone said that they enjoyed the way that I explore masculinity in my work; it’s not something I’ve ever consciously decided to do, but of course there it is in black and white!
You draw a lot on personal experiences and observations; would you say that these are big pulls for you in terms of what you enjoy writing about?
Absolutely. I’ve used writing as a way of documenting key moments in life, so that my work forms a sort of journal, exploring all of the emotions which come with birth, death, love and so on. Sometimes it’s a little un-nerving when I look at a finished manuscript and realise how much of myself I put into my work, but I think it’s the job of a poet to put the reader into their mind’s eye, and I find I can do that best when I’m writing from experience.
Now, if we can side-track ever so slightly onto the old writing process, how was your writing time on this? Did you have a daily/weekly routine or was the whole thing more free-flowing than that?
The oldest poems in the book come from 2014, when I was in the mad creative flurry of Jo Bell’s 52; that year I was writing 5-10 poems a week based on Jo’s prompts, so it was inevitable some of that material would make the final cut. Since then, my writing routine (if you can call it that) has found a more mellow rhythm. Generally I’ll have an idea and either note it briefly on Google Docs on my phone or just plunge straight into a first draft if I’m near a laptop. I try and write a poem a week, although sometimes I jump feet first into a Poem a Day group on Facebook in September or April!
Out of curiosity – because we love being nosey – do you have any aspirations toward prose/fiction writing at all?
You’ve read between the lines very cleverly there! Yes, I really want to write more prose. I closed my website, Clear Poetry, at the end of last year to free up some time for writing, as well as getting out and about to help promote ‘We Are All Lucky’. So far this year I’ve managed four or five short stories and the odd piece of flash fiction. I find that being a poet I’m already attuned to that economy of language that I believe good short fiction employs, and I like the comparative freedom that prose affords. I’ve love to put out a collection of short stories at some point in the future. But I don’t think a novel would be possible unless I gave up working full time!
And, finally, what’s coming next? Is there another collection on the horizon somewhere?
Yes, at some point in the next few months I’ll sit down and see how much material I have and work out whether it can coalesce into a collection. I love that process of digging through poems, trying to work out which bits might sit nicely together, nipping and tucking here and there, maybe writing new poems where there looks to be a gap. But at the same time it’s a little daunting, especially when the previous book’s done quite well – I can sympathise with ‘Difficult Second Album’ syndrome!
Well, there you have it, straight from the man himself! Don't forget that you skip over to Books and Ebooks on the site this weekend to get a full review of Ben's collection, just by clicking here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 20 July 2018
Firstly, congratulations on your recent book publication! How does it feel, having those words out there now?
Thanks! I love the fact that the book is making its way in the world. It’s quite surreal to imagine someone sitting down to read it – especially a complete stranger!
Obviously we’ve got our own review of the book online this weekend – which readers can find by clicking here – but aside from our much-deserved flattery, what sort of responses have you had to the book?
I’ve been bowled over by the reaction so far. You know when people are just being nice, and there’s been none of that so far! Reviews are often hard to come by and I’ve been very fortunate that quite a few people have taken the time and trouble to publicly praise it. And one of the best things about a review is that it will often point out things about your writing that you’ve never noticed before. For instance, someone said that they enjoyed the way that I explore masculinity in my work; it’s not something I’ve ever consciously decided to do, but of course there it is in black and white!
You draw a lot on personal experiences and observations; would you say that these are big pulls for you in terms of what you enjoy writing about?
Absolutely. I’ve used writing as a way of documenting key moments in life, so that my work forms a sort of journal, exploring all of the emotions which come with birth, death, love and so on. Sometimes it’s a little un-nerving when I look at a finished manuscript and realise how much of myself I put into my work, but I think it’s the job of a poet to put the reader into their mind’s eye, and I find I can do that best when I’m writing from experience.
Now, if we can side-track ever so slightly onto the old writing process, how was your writing time on this? Did you have a daily/weekly routine or was the whole thing more free-flowing than that?
The oldest poems in the book come from 2014, when I was in the mad creative flurry of Jo Bell’s 52; that year I was writing 5-10 poems a week based on Jo’s prompts, so it was inevitable some of that material would make the final cut. Since then, my writing routine (if you can call it that) has found a more mellow rhythm. Generally I’ll have an idea and either note it briefly on Google Docs on my phone or just plunge straight into a first draft if I’m near a laptop. I try and write a poem a week, although sometimes I jump feet first into a Poem a Day group on Facebook in September or April!
Out of curiosity – because we love being nosey – do you have any aspirations toward prose/fiction writing at all?
You’ve read between the lines very cleverly there! Yes, I really want to write more prose. I closed my website, Clear Poetry, at the end of last year to free up some time for writing, as well as getting out and about to help promote ‘We Are All Lucky’. So far this year I’ve managed four or five short stories and the odd piece of flash fiction. I find that being a poet I’m already attuned to that economy of language that I believe good short fiction employs, and I like the comparative freedom that prose affords. I’ve love to put out a collection of short stories at some point in the future. But I don’t think a novel would be possible unless I gave up working full time!
And, finally, what’s coming next? Is there another collection on the horizon somewhere?
Yes, at some point in the next few months I’ll sit down and see how much material I have and work out whether it can coalesce into a collection. I love that process of digging through poems, trying to work out which bits might sit nicely together, nipping and tucking here and there, maybe writing new poems where there looks to be a gap. But at the same time it’s a little daunting, especially when the previous book’s done quite well – I can sympathise with ‘Difficult Second Album’ syndrome!
Well, there you have it, straight from the man himself! Don't forget that you skip over to Books and Ebooks on the site this weekend to get a full review of Ben's collection, just by clicking here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 20 July 2018
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: DANIEL BURTON TALKS POETRY, SELF-PUBLISHING, AND MENTAL HEALTH!
Worcestershire based author and poet Daniel Burton is on the cusp of releasing his debut self-published poetry collection, Darker Nights into Brighter Days. The collection is a frank and honest look at how mental health impacts modern societies and those of us trying to fumble our ways through it, with beacons of hope scattered throughout to lighten the heavy load. In the midst of final edits and launch preparations, we managed to pin Daniel down for a quick chat about the collection and his hopes for it:
Firstly, congratulations on the new collection! Tell us a little bit about how this came about; is it published, self-published?
Thanks! It’s still sinking in that it’s actually happening! I’ve decided to self-publish because I’ll be donating some of the proceeds to Rethink Mental Illness, which is a charity that works so hard to raise awareness of mental health and the support that’s out there, and self-publishing makes it easier for this to happen. Plus, I self-published my debut novel, Heartbound, back in 2015 and really enjoyed the whole process as well as doing all the promotion myself. I got a real buzz from it!
Do you have an official release date in mind, or a launch planned?
I’ve actually got three launches in mind! The first one, which is the official launch, will take place at Paradiddles Bar in Worcester on the 28th of July. I’m also finalising a launch event in Leicestershire, which is where I’m originally from, in August and another in Coventry, because that’s where I went to university.
I’m really looking forward to launch Dark Nights into Brighter Days in three cities that have shaped me into the person I am today. I’ll be performing a few poems from the collection as well as featuring performances from some incredible poets I’ve met since I started performing poetry last year.
Now, having read the collection, we know that it's some emotionally honest work. What made you want to put this out there?
The main reason is because having experienced difficulties with my mental health, I know how hard it is to understand those feelings and reach out for help. With Dark Nights into Brighter Days, I hope that I can show anyone struggling that there is someone out there who understands that feeling and encourage them to ask for help. I’d also like to show that people shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed of asking for that help.
Even though there’s greater awareness of mental health, I still feel that there’s more that needs to be done to break down the stigma which is still around despite the campaigns run by charities and celebrities. There’s one poem in the collection called 'Uncensored' which really challenges that stigma and how people feel they need to wear a mask for fear of being put down or discriminated against because of a lack of understanding. The poem is a really honest account of what it’s like trying to battle against depression whilst having to be ‘Mr Nice Guy’, like I say in the opening line.
I consider myself very fortunate that I have a really strong support network around me with my friends and family. And I hope that by reading the collection, others affected by mental health will feel strong enough to reach out to their loved ones too.
Do you have any pre-publication nerves or is it generally an exciting time for you?
It’s nervous excitement! I’m really enjoying putting the launch events together and spreading the word but I am starting to get a bit nervous the closer it gets to the Worcester
launch. On the night itself I’ll probably be a bag of nerves but I honestly can’t wait for it to come around!
Where will people be able to buy the book from; directly from you, or online?
The collection will be available online through Amazon by the start of July at the very latest, and orders for copies can also be placed by emailing me at danburtonbooks@gmail.com.
And, finally, what should readers expect next?
I’ve already got plans for my next collection forming in my head! It’s still early days but I’m planning for the next one to be about nature and protecting the beautiful wildlife we share the world with. More than likely, it’ll follow the same path as Dark Nights into Brighter Days but it’s still some way off yet!
In the more immediate future, I’m going to be getting back to performing at open-mic nights, writing new material, and I’m also working on bringing out another novel soon too. Lots of exciting projects in the pipeline, so keep watching this space!
There you have it! Pop the date in your diaries because from July there is a new poetry book coming your way, and it sounds like one worth keeping an eye out for.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 21 June 2018
Firstly, congratulations on the new collection! Tell us a little bit about how this came about; is it published, self-published?
Thanks! It’s still sinking in that it’s actually happening! I’ve decided to self-publish because I’ll be donating some of the proceeds to Rethink Mental Illness, which is a charity that works so hard to raise awareness of mental health and the support that’s out there, and self-publishing makes it easier for this to happen. Plus, I self-published my debut novel, Heartbound, back in 2015 and really enjoyed the whole process as well as doing all the promotion myself. I got a real buzz from it!
Do you have an official release date in mind, or a launch planned?
I’ve actually got three launches in mind! The first one, which is the official launch, will take place at Paradiddles Bar in Worcester on the 28th of July. I’m also finalising a launch event in Leicestershire, which is where I’m originally from, in August and another in Coventry, because that’s where I went to university.
I’m really looking forward to launch Dark Nights into Brighter Days in three cities that have shaped me into the person I am today. I’ll be performing a few poems from the collection as well as featuring performances from some incredible poets I’ve met since I started performing poetry last year.
Now, having read the collection, we know that it's some emotionally honest work. What made you want to put this out there?
The main reason is because having experienced difficulties with my mental health, I know how hard it is to understand those feelings and reach out for help. With Dark Nights into Brighter Days, I hope that I can show anyone struggling that there is someone out there who understands that feeling and encourage them to ask for help. I’d also like to show that people shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed of asking for that help.
Even though there’s greater awareness of mental health, I still feel that there’s more that needs to be done to break down the stigma which is still around despite the campaigns run by charities and celebrities. There’s one poem in the collection called 'Uncensored' which really challenges that stigma and how people feel they need to wear a mask for fear of being put down or discriminated against because of a lack of understanding. The poem is a really honest account of what it’s like trying to battle against depression whilst having to be ‘Mr Nice Guy’, like I say in the opening line.
I consider myself very fortunate that I have a really strong support network around me with my friends and family. And I hope that by reading the collection, others affected by mental health will feel strong enough to reach out to their loved ones too.
Do you have any pre-publication nerves or is it generally an exciting time for you?
It’s nervous excitement! I’m really enjoying putting the launch events together and spreading the word but I am starting to get a bit nervous the closer it gets to the Worcester
launch. On the night itself I’ll probably be a bag of nerves but I honestly can’t wait for it to come around!
Where will people be able to buy the book from; directly from you, or online?
The collection will be available online through Amazon by the start of July at the very latest, and orders for copies can also be placed by emailing me at danburtonbooks@gmail.com.
And, finally, what should readers expect next?
I’ve already got plans for my next collection forming in my head! It’s still early days but I’m planning for the next one to be about nature and protecting the beautiful wildlife we share the world with. More than likely, it’ll follow the same path as Dark Nights into Brighter Days but it’s still some way off yet!
In the more immediate future, I’m going to be getting back to performing at open-mic nights, writing new material, and I’m also working on bringing out another novel soon too. Lots of exciting projects in the pipeline, so keep watching this space!
There you have it! Pop the date in your diaries because from July there is a new poetry book coming your way, and it sounds like one worth keeping an eye out for.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 21 June 2018
author Interview: Sarah Leavesley talks sequels, poetry, and Plans for the future!
You won't have to look too hard through the Mad Hatter Reviews' back catalogue to find the most recent mention of Sarah Leavesley; an absolute powerhouse of writing and editing, we are just one year on from Leavesley's Kaleidoscope and here we are talking about her next book - the sequel to Kaleidoscope, incidentally - Always Another Twist. We picked ourselves up a copy last week and settled down for an afternoon of reading - you can check out our review in Books this week - and we've even managed to grab Leavesley for a little chat too (in between her writing and publishing all these books, that is)...
Huge congratulations from us, again and again, for the launch of your new novella! Does it feel as good as the first time around?
To be honest, I can’t remember what the first felt like now…and I haven’t really had chance to stop and absorb how I feel this time! It’s good though, a sense of completeness as well as joy. Always Another Twist features the sister, Julie, of the main character, Claire, in Kaleidoscope. It’s like both women have now been given their voices.
Now, Always Another Twist is bound up with your previous novella Kaleidoscope, but how dependent are they on each other? Do you have to read the first book to understand the sequel, do you think?
A good question. I hope that those who read Always Another Twist without having read Kaleidoscope will enjoy Julie’s novella on its own, with all her life’s twists. For those who’ve already read Kaleidoscope, some of the hooks and cliffhangers in Julie’s story are also in the earlier novella’s plotline. But in these cases, my aim was to provide a different kind of hook and interest in terms of the very different viewpoints that the sisters have of the same events. And for those reading Always Another Twist before Kaleidoscope, maybe the contrasts in the two accounts will add even more intensity and depth to Claire’s character, experience and emotions.
You seem to have found a lot of ground to write on in this fictional family network; do you expect another novella to come from it or is it too soon to tell?
Families, and all relationships, are something I find fascinating. But siblingship particularly interests me. Having Kaleidoscope and Always Another Twist as companion novellas feels enough at the moment. But who knows. Family trees keep growing; perhaps there’s a family of novellas to come in the future…
Are there other novellas lurking in the line-up for you, do you think?
Never say never, as they say. But I’ve nothing in the pipeline at the moment. Publicity and marketing take a lot of energy and time, and I like to give every book/project, every story/character, its own space and attention. Life is also very busy with family, running V. Press and other writing work, as well as spending time simply enjoying nature and outdoor exercise. So I’ve lots of creative energy – I write poetry, flashes, creative non-fiction, articles, essays, reviews…and I love photography too – but at the moment my creativity’s mostly focused on smaller scale projects that only demand shorter bursts of attention. A novella, like any other book, requires a longer unbroken span of concentration and continuity, with big blocks of time and energy. For now, at least, I need to recharge my battery with smaller creative boosts.
A tiny plug for something else here; you’ve recently published a new poetry pamphlet as well, haven’t you?
Yes, How to Grow Matches was published by Against The Grain Press at the end of March. There’s a fiery feminist angle to this selection. So far the poems haven’t burst into flames or spontaneous combustion but…I’m waiting with bated breath for Mad Hatter Reviews’ verdict on the pamphlet and whether How to Grow Matches should be accompanied by a fire-safety warning!
And finally – the biggest question is saved for last, I’m afraid – what’s next?
Whatever comes along. At the moment, this is probably the easiest that kind of question has ever been for me to answer. I’ve no grand plan right now other than to enjoy inspiration and possibilities as they come along – to be open to life in all its spontaneity and serendipity, making the most of any writing opportunities as and when they arise.
So there you have it, from the author herself! Our review of Always Another Twist is available in the Books and E-books section of our website this week so for the full scoop on what to expect from the novella you can pop on over there for our thoughts, and stay tuned for more reviews of Leavesley's work in the near future.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 5 June 2018
Huge congratulations from us, again and again, for the launch of your new novella! Does it feel as good as the first time around?
To be honest, I can’t remember what the first felt like now…and I haven’t really had chance to stop and absorb how I feel this time! It’s good though, a sense of completeness as well as joy. Always Another Twist features the sister, Julie, of the main character, Claire, in Kaleidoscope. It’s like both women have now been given their voices.
Now, Always Another Twist is bound up with your previous novella Kaleidoscope, but how dependent are they on each other? Do you have to read the first book to understand the sequel, do you think?
A good question. I hope that those who read Always Another Twist without having read Kaleidoscope will enjoy Julie’s novella on its own, with all her life’s twists. For those who’ve already read Kaleidoscope, some of the hooks and cliffhangers in Julie’s story are also in the earlier novella’s plotline. But in these cases, my aim was to provide a different kind of hook and interest in terms of the very different viewpoints that the sisters have of the same events. And for those reading Always Another Twist before Kaleidoscope, maybe the contrasts in the two accounts will add even more intensity and depth to Claire’s character, experience and emotions.
You seem to have found a lot of ground to write on in this fictional family network; do you expect another novella to come from it or is it too soon to tell?
Families, and all relationships, are something I find fascinating. But siblingship particularly interests me. Having Kaleidoscope and Always Another Twist as companion novellas feels enough at the moment. But who knows. Family trees keep growing; perhaps there’s a family of novellas to come in the future…
Are there other novellas lurking in the line-up for you, do you think?
Never say never, as they say. But I’ve nothing in the pipeline at the moment. Publicity and marketing take a lot of energy and time, and I like to give every book/project, every story/character, its own space and attention. Life is also very busy with family, running V. Press and other writing work, as well as spending time simply enjoying nature and outdoor exercise. So I’ve lots of creative energy – I write poetry, flashes, creative non-fiction, articles, essays, reviews…and I love photography too – but at the moment my creativity’s mostly focused on smaller scale projects that only demand shorter bursts of attention. A novella, like any other book, requires a longer unbroken span of concentration and continuity, with big blocks of time and energy. For now, at least, I need to recharge my battery with smaller creative boosts.
A tiny plug for something else here; you’ve recently published a new poetry pamphlet as well, haven’t you?
Yes, How to Grow Matches was published by Against The Grain Press at the end of March. There’s a fiery feminist angle to this selection. So far the poems haven’t burst into flames or spontaneous combustion but…I’m waiting with bated breath for Mad Hatter Reviews’ verdict on the pamphlet and whether How to Grow Matches should be accompanied by a fire-safety warning!
And finally – the biggest question is saved for last, I’m afraid – what’s next?
Whatever comes along. At the moment, this is probably the easiest that kind of question has ever been for me to answer. I’ve no grand plan right now other than to enjoy inspiration and possibilities as they come along – to be open to life in all its spontaneity and serendipity, making the most of any writing opportunities as and when they arise.
So there you have it, from the author herself! Our review of Always Another Twist is available in the Books and E-books section of our website this week so for the full scoop on what to expect from the novella you can pop on over there for our thoughts, and stay tuned for more reviews of Leavesley's work in the near future.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 5 June 2018
Author Interview: Claire Walker talks poetry, future plans, and brand new publications!
Claire Walker is a Worcestershire based poet on the cusp of releasing her new pamphlet, Somewhere Between Rose and Black, to be published by V Press on 1 December 2017. A beautifully crafted collection, this release follows Claire's debut pamphlet The Girl Who Grew Into A Crocodile which quickly became a sell-out release. Now, edging ever closer to the release of her sophomore publication, we've nabbed Claire for a quick chat about she's feeling in this lead up to her big day...
Firstly, Claire, a massive congratulations on the publication of your second pamphlet. This must be a very exciting time for you?
Thank you! It is very exciting - to see the poems all put together in their final form is a wonderful feeling. It’s also a relief – it was amazing to have my first pamphlet published, something I’d aimed for for a long time, and I suppose I was a bit worried that it was just a fluke; that I’d never be able to manage to write another one! It’s also great to be published by V. Press again – working with Sarah Leavesley and Ruth Stacey has been a very positive experience.
Have there been more nerves second time around, or does this all feel a little familiar now?
Way more nerves second time around! I suppose it’s partly because I ‘know the drill’ more this time. There were things that I didn’t get nervous about with the first pamphlet because I didn’t really know I needed to think about them. I’m really nervous about the thought of reviews this time. I was lucky enough to get some really positive reviews with my first pamphlet, which felt great, but now I’m scared in case reviewers don’t like this one. I guess it’s that whole ‘difficult second album’ thing! I’m really nervous about the launch – what if nobody comes?! I had a dream about the launch a few nights ago, that it was held in an airport lounge (which, of course, seemed like a perfectly sensible place to hold it, in the dream!) and I was so relieved that people had turned up, I realised after it was over that I hadn’t thought to mention that people could buy copies of the book.
The pamphlet, Somewhere Between Rose and Black, was largely inspired by a family member's diary, if memory serves right. What was it that moved you toward using this kind of inspiration for the work?
Yes, it’s based on a diary that my Great-Auntie Mollie kept when she and her husband were renovating a run-down cottage in rural Worcestershire in 1960’s. My mum first showed me the diary a few years ago, and I wrote a one-off poem about it, but it kind of stayed with me, and I eventually came back to it, wanting to expand it into a full pamphlet’s worth of poems. I think it inspired me because, even though the diary is largely simply a factual account of things that happened with the cottage – the roof being fixed, crops being planted and so on – there are little asides sometimes that Mollie wasn’t very happy there. She makes a comment in one entry that ‘I have a good marriage, but there is no laughter in it’. I found that so sad. Mollie died before I was born, so I never knew her ‘in real life’, but I felt like I got to know her through her diary.
Also, they had a big problem with deer keep coming and eating crops, so deer are a recurring theme in the diary, and I think there’s something inspirational, almost magical, about deer.
Some of the poems are taken purely from things that are in the diary but, as is the way of things, I expanded the scope of it to include my own ideas and characters, so that the pamphlet has a narrative running through it.
I think there can sometimes be this misconception that poems are somehow quicker to put together than longer forms of written work. I wonder, how long did the pamphlet actually take to write in its entirety?
I would say, in all, it took at least a year to write. As is often the way, I had a bit of a dip in confidence about it part way through, and put it aside for a while. I’d shown some of the
poems to Ruth Stacey, and she was very encouraging, so I returned to it and worked on it more seriously. If it hadn’t been for her encouragement, the pamphlet may still be lying in a drawer half-finished.
I think some people might assume that, because poems don’t always look very long on the page, that they’re just a little thing that you dash off in half an hour. It’s not that way for most poets! Lots of drafting and re-drafting, showing to trusted friends for feedback, editing, re-editing, scraping altogether and starting again. A ten-line poem can take months to get right!
Do you have a personal favourite from this new release?
I’m very fond of ‘Presence’, one of the deer poems, because it’s one of the first ones I wrote that made me feel like a whole pamphlet was a possibility. I’m also very fond of ‘The man in the farmhouse’.
I believe the big launch is penciled for December 9th; could you tell us a little more about what to expect from that?
The launch is going to be at Park’s café in Droitwich, Worcestershire (not in an airport, as it turns out!). I’ll be reading from the pamphlet, and there will be 6 guest poets joining me – Charley Barnes, Maggie Doyle, Ian Glass, Holly Magill, Anne Milton and Paul Wooldridge – to read some of their own wonderful work. Full details will be on the V. Press website soon.
And, finally, what happens next? Is there another pamphlet, a full collection, maybe even some prose?
I find that most of my ‘poetry time’ is taken up with editing at the moment (I’m co-editor of Atrium poetry webzine, which launched in April). It’s an absolute pleasure to do, but it doesn’t leave much time or brain space for writing. I have a couple of pamphlets simmering away in various states of ‘unfinished’, which I’m hoping to be able to pull into better shape in the new year. I also plan to start work on a first full collection next year, although what shape that will take, remains to be seen!
So, there you have it, folks! If you'd like to check out our thoughts on Claire's new pamphlet, Somewhere Between Rose and Black, then you can find our review online in the Books section of the website now (just click here to access it).
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 28 November 2017
Firstly, Claire, a massive congratulations on the publication of your second pamphlet. This must be a very exciting time for you?
Thank you! It is very exciting - to see the poems all put together in their final form is a wonderful feeling. It’s also a relief – it was amazing to have my first pamphlet published, something I’d aimed for for a long time, and I suppose I was a bit worried that it was just a fluke; that I’d never be able to manage to write another one! It’s also great to be published by V. Press again – working with Sarah Leavesley and Ruth Stacey has been a very positive experience.
Have there been more nerves second time around, or does this all feel a little familiar now?
Way more nerves second time around! I suppose it’s partly because I ‘know the drill’ more this time. There were things that I didn’t get nervous about with the first pamphlet because I didn’t really know I needed to think about them. I’m really nervous about the thought of reviews this time. I was lucky enough to get some really positive reviews with my first pamphlet, which felt great, but now I’m scared in case reviewers don’t like this one. I guess it’s that whole ‘difficult second album’ thing! I’m really nervous about the launch – what if nobody comes?! I had a dream about the launch a few nights ago, that it was held in an airport lounge (which, of course, seemed like a perfectly sensible place to hold it, in the dream!) and I was so relieved that people had turned up, I realised after it was over that I hadn’t thought to mention that people could buy copies of the book.
The pamphlet, Somewhere Between Rose and Black, was largely inspired by a family member's diary, if memory serves right. What was it that moved you toward using this kind of inspiration for the work?
Yes, it’s based on a diary that my Great-Auntie Mollie kept when she and her husband were renovating a run-down cottage in rural Worcestershire in 1960’s. My mum first showed me the diary a few years ago, and I wrote a one-off poem about it, but it kind of stayed with me, and I eventually came back to it, wanting to expand it into a full pamphlet’s worth of poems. I think it inspired me because, even though the diary is largely simply a factual account of things that happened with the cottage – the roof being fixed, crops being planted and so on – there are little asides sometimes that Mollie wasn’t very happy there. She makes a comment in one entry that ‘I have a good marriage, but there is no laughter in it’. I found that so sad. Mollie died before I was born, so I never knew her ‘in real life’, but I felt like I got to know her through her diary.
Also, they had a big problem with deer keep coming and eating crops, so deer are a recurring theme in the diary, and I think there’s something inspirational, almost magical, about deer.
Some of the poems are taken purely from things that are in the diary but, as is the way of things, I expanded the scope of it to include my own ideas and characters, so that the pamphlet has a narrative running through it.
I think there can sometimes be this misconception that poems are somehow quicker to put together than longer forms of written work. I wonder, how long did the pamphlet actually take to write in its entirety?
I would say, in all, it took at least a year to write. As is often the way, I had a bit of a dip in confidence about it part way through, and put it aside for a while. I’d shown some of the
poems to Ruth Stacey, and she was very encouraging, so I returned to it and worked on it more seriously. If it hadn’t been for her encouragement, the pamphlet may still be lying in a drawer half-finished.
I think some people might assume that, because poems don’t always look very long on the page, that they’re just a little thing that you dash off in half an hour. It’s not that way for most poets! Lots of drafting and re-drafting, showing to trusted friends for feedback, editing, re-editing, scraping altogether and starting again. A ten-line poem can take months to get right!
Do you have a personal favourite from this new release?
I’m very fond of ‘Presence’, one of the deer poems, because it’s one of the first ones I wrote that made me feel like a whole pamphlet was a possibility. I’m also very fond of ‘The man in the farmhouse’.
I believe the big launch is penciled for December 9th; could you tell us a little more about what to expect from that?
The launch is going to be at Park’s café in Droitwich, Worcestershire (not in an airport, as it turns out!). I’ll be reading from the pamphlet, and there will be 6 guest poets joining me – Charley Barnes, Maggie Doyle, Ian Glass, Holly Magill, Anne Milton and Paul Wooldridge – to read some of their own wonderful work. Full details will be on the V. Press website soon.
And, finally, what happens next? Is there another pamphlet, a full collection, maybe even some prose?
I find that most of my ‘poetry time’ is taken up with editing at the moment (I’m co-editor of Atrium poetry webzine, which launched in April). It’s an absolute pleasure to do, but it doesn’t leave much time or brain space for writing. I have a couple of pamphlets simmering away in various states of ‘unfinished’, which I’m hoping to be able to pull into better shape in the new year. I also plan to start work on a first full collection next year, although what shape that will take, remains to be seen!
So, there you have it, folks! If you'd like to check out our thoughts on Claire's new pamphlet, Somewhere Between Rose and Black, then you can find our review online in the Books section of the website now (just click here to access it).
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 28 November 2017
Author Interview: Sarah Leavesley talks Prose, Poetry, and What Lies Ahead for Future projects...
Earlier this year Sarah Leavesley released her novella, Kaleidoscope, published by Mantle Lane Press. The pocket-sized book has caused a pocket-sized storm amongst reviewers who have been suckered in by Leavesley's poetic prose that weaves an eerie tale - to say the least. A copy of the novella landed with us earlier this year - and you can read our review of it in Books today - and, after reading the story, we couldn't help but pin down Sarah for a little chat about Kaleidoscope, and what lies beyond it...
Sarah, firstly, a massive congratulations on the book! How does it feel to have it out there now?
Aw, thank you. And that question’s got me right away! Unreal, maybe? In all senses of that word! A mixture of delight, excitement to hear how readers find it, with an inevitable edge of nervous apprehension. I love the cover artwork and how wonderfully pocket-size it is! It’s possible I might occasionally be caught stroking it…for the sheer beauty of Mantle Lane Press’s design.
Kaleidoscope is quite the departure from your usual poetry publications. Why the shift over to prose?
Actually, bizarrely, I was a journalist and then a short fiction writer long before I really started writing poems. But that was years ago, before I moved to Worcestershire, and it was individual pieces published and in competitions rather than whole books. Poetry really became my thing after I had children and found that I didn’t have the time or head space to work on anything long. Now, they’re older, I have that possibility again. I love poetry. But I also love prose. I think returning to fiction and journalism is partly circumstances, partly my enjoyment of variety, new challenges and crossing traditional genre boundaries. Then there’s the appeal of engaging with new, different, wider audiences and…loads of reasons that all really boil down because I’m enjoying it!
Do you feel as comfortable with prose writing, or is poetry still very much the comfort zone?
The short answer is comfortable with the actual writing, yes, but less so anticipating how readers will find it because it’s less familiar territory again. My prose style has definitely changed too as a result of the years writing poetry, just as it did after years writing as a tabloid journalist. So, my paragraphs tend to be short because I grew used to writing articles with a maximum of one or two sentences to a paragraph. I suspect I do a lot of condensing and using fragments now having written so much free verse. I’m also aware of the rhythms and how my stories sound in a way that I wasn’t with prose before writing and performing poetry.
Are you working on any upcoming poetry publications/projects at the moment?
I thrive on a mixture of variety and focus, so I tend to have a number of smaller background projects alongside bigger projects that I dip in and out of for more intense blocks of time. So, tentatively, in the background, another themed poetry pamphlet, possibly a short fiction collection at some point…
My two bigger personal projects at the moment are: ‘Wednesday Reflections/Sometimes I smile’ – a year of weekly blog posts with poem biographies and photographic art + discussion points + writing prompts. It focuses on the poems in my collection ‘plenty-fish’ (Nine Arches Press), so is mainly aimed at those who have the collection already or might be persuaded to buy it…but the photos, discussion points and writing prompts will hopefully have a wider relevancy and appeal too. This starts on my website blog on Wednesday, July 19, with an index of these available here.
My other big manuscript is a kind of a memoir, but with an unusual style and approach that I find hard to paraphrase. The core essence is 7 retellings of my life in very different ways and each focusing on very different aspects. It was longlisted in this year’s New Welsh Writing Awards and I had some fantastic The Literary Consultancy feedback, so I’ve been busy drastically rewriting and getting very excited about its new shape!
Should we expect another novella from you in the future, or perhaps a full length novel?
A novel, gulp! My instant reaction is I wish… I’m currently very much in awe of novelists, so I’m not sure I’d ever feel brave enough to sit down with the intention of writing a novel. As and when I have time, and the right motivation to prioritise it, I would like to write a sequel novella to ‘Kaleidoscope’, told from the viewpoint of the main character’s sister. Maybe that might grow into something longer... I do believe most pieces find their own natural/ideal length, which may or may not fit with the author’s original intention!
And finally, for those who haven't read Kaleidoscope yet, what can people expect from the book?
That’s such a hard question for me to answer! I’m so tempted to plead the literary fifth and just refer everyone to my publisher’s blurb: “Claire relives her past but her memories are fragmented, shattered like the remains of a toy kaleidoscope. A troubled childhood, the loss of her baby, and the end of her marriage are seen through a distorting lens, twisted and unclear. What really happened? And can Claire find a way through the mirror maze of memories to discover the truth? ‘Kaleidoscope’ is a compelling and disturbing tale of a disintegrating life.”
I guess my instant thought about what’s most characteristic is that the main character Claire’s viewpoint is very unreliable. Then, that her emotional story is recounted in fragments and framed by extracts from the ‘Perfect Mothers’ Accessories’ catalogue. Many readers have told me they can read/hear elements of poetry in the writing style too.
One of the interesting, but also tricky, things with Claire’s unreliability is deciding how much of her life is (fictional) truth and what is delusional. This hopefully leaves it open for readers to interpret what they think Claire did and didn’t do. For me, there is no right or wrong answer to ‘What actually happened to Claire and her daughter, Ju?’ I’m very pleased in fact that I’ve had different readers talk to me with very different feelings about Claire’s real story but all adamantly sure that how they’ve read it is the truth!
That's all, folks! You've got the full scoop on all things Kaleidoscope, but if that hasn't been enough to convince you to pick up a copy, then make sure you hop over to our Books section to read our own thoughts on the release today.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 19 July 2017
Sarah, firstly, a massive congratulations on the book! How does it feel to have it out there now?
Aw, thank you. And that question’s got me right away! Unreal, maybe? In all senses of that word! A mixture of delight, excitement to hear how readers find it, with an inevitable edge of nervous apprehension. I love the cover artwork and how wonderfully pocket-size it is! It’s possible I might occasionally be caught stroking it…for the sheer beauty of Mantle Lane Press’s design.
Kaleidoscope is quite the departure from your usual poetry publications. Why the shift over to prose?
Actually, bizarrely, I was a journalist and then a short fiction writer long before I really started writing poems. But that was years ago, before I moved to Worcestershire, and it was individual pieces published and in competitions rather than whole books. Poetry really became my thing after I had children and found that I didn’t have the time or head space to work on anything long. Now, they’re older, I have that possibility again. I love poetry. But I also love prose. I think returning to fiction and journalism is partly circumstances, partly my enjoyment of variety, new challenges and crossing traditional genre boundaries. Then there’s the appeal of engaging with new, different, wider audiences and…loads of reasons that all really boil down because I’m enjoying it!
Do you feel as comfortable with prose writing, or is poetry still very much the comfort zone?
The short answer is comfortable with the actual writing, yes, but less so anticipating how readers will find it because it’s less familiar territory again. My prose style has definitely changed too as a result of the years writing poetry, just as it did after years writing as a tabloid journalist. So, my paragraphs tend to be short because I grew used to writing articles with a maximum of one or two sentences to a paragraph. I suspect I do a lot of condensing and using fragments now having written so much free verse. I’m also aware of the rhythms and how my stories sound in a way that I wasn’t with prose before writing and performing poetry.
Are you working on any upcoming poetry publications/projects at the moment?
I thrive on a mixture of variety and focus, so I tend to have a number of smaller background projects alongside bigger projects that I dip in and out of for more intense blocks of time. So, tentatively, in the background, another themed poetry pamphlet, possibly a short fiction collection at some point…
My two bigger personal projects at the moment are: ‘Wednesday Reflections/Sometimes I smile’ – a year of weekly blog posts with poem biographies and photographic art + discussion points + writing prompts. It focuses on the poems in my collection ‘plenty-fish’ (Nine Arches Press), so is mainly aimed at those who have the collection already or might be persuaded to buy it…but the photos, discussion points and writing prompts will hopefully have a wider relevancy and appeal too. This starts on my website blog on Wednesday, July 19, with an index of these available here.
My other big manuscript is a kind of a memoir, but with an unusual style and approach that I find hard to paraphrase. The core essence is 7 retellings of my life in very different ways and each focusing on very different aspects. It was longlisted in this year’s New Welsh Writing Awards and I had some fantastic The Literary Consultancy feedback, so I’ve been busy drastically rewriting and getting very excited about its new shape!
Should we expect another novella from you in the future, or perhaps a full length novel?
A novel, gulp! My instant reaction is I wish… I’m currently very much in awe of novelists, so I’m not sure I’d ever feel brave enough to sit down with the intention of writing a novel. As and when I have time, and the right motivation to prioritise it, I would like to write a sequel novella to ‘Kaleidoscope’, told from the viewpoint of the main character’s sister. Maybe that might grow into something longer... I do believe most pieces find their own natural/ideal length, which may or may not fit with the author’s original intention!
And finally, for those who haven't read Kaleidoscope yet, what can people expect from the book?
That’s such a hard question for me to answer! I’m so tempted to plead the literary fifth and just refer everyone to my publisher’s blurb: “Claire relives her past but her memories are fragmented, shattered like the remains of a toy kaleidoscope. A troubled childhood, the loss of her baby, and the end of her marriage are seen through a distorting lens, twisted and unclear. What really happened? And can Claire find a way through the mirror maze of memories to discover the truth? ‘Kaleidoscope’ is a compelling and disturbing tale of a disintegrating life.”
I guess my instant thought about what’s most characteristic is that the main character Claire’s viewpoint is very unreliable. Then, that her emotional story is recounted in fragments and framed by extracts from the ‘Perfect Mothers’ Accessories’ catalogue. Many readers have told me they can read/hear elements of poetry in the writing style too.
One of the interesting, but also tricky, things with Claire’s unreliability is deciding how much of her life is (fictional) truth and what is delusional. This hopefully leaves it open for readers to interpret what they think Claire did and didn’t do. For me, there is no right or wrong answer to ‘What actually happened to Claire and her daughter, Ju?’ I’m very pleased in fact that I’ve had different readers talk to me with very different feelings about Claire’s real story but all adamantly sure that how they’ve read it is the truth!
That's all, folks! You've got the full scoop on all things Kaleidoscope, but if that hasn't been enough to convince you to pick up a copy, then make sure you hop over to our Books section to read our own thoughts on the release today.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 19 July 2017
ARTIST INTERVIEW: WE'RE TALKING TO CEILING DEMONS ABOUT INSPIRATIONS, INDEPENDENT WORK, AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS!
We were recently introduced to the delights of Ceiling Demons, a British hip-hop group who are dedicated to releasing hard-hitting and emotional beats, wrapped up perfectly with a little alternative bow on top. What more could you possibly want from your hip-hop? After falling in their love with their latest single, Every Step Is Moving Me Up, we decided to grab the guys for a quick interview to find out exactly what the future holds for this budding group.
So you guys are relatively new on the music scene, but how long have you actually been working together?
We first came together in the summer of 2011 to record a tribute to a friend of ours who sadly passed away. I hadn't been making beats for very long at that point so it was very rough but I figured Psy and Dan would be up for it so I showed it to them and they jumped straight on it. It was sort of a one-off but we kept making new tracks here and there and in late December, 2012, we decided to release them as the Ceiling Demons EP. The reviews and features we got for it said good things and, by then, we had the foundations of our début album, Dual Sides, already in place so we chose to push on forward.
Now, pardon my ignorance on this one, but are you currently working with a record label or is all of your work independently distributed at the minute?
Everything we've done up to this point has been independent. It'd be nice to have a label to deal with the business side of it but it's also enjoyable having complete freedom over everything we do. Money can be a restraint, and we don't have a label to give us a big advance, but it's fun collaborating with artists on videos and artwork who do it completely for the love, and having limitations can often be beneficial as they have a tendency to force out bits of originality and creativity.
Are you hoping to take your music to a more mainstream market, or are you happy where you are right now?
We're really pleased with all the positive feedback we've had from our releases and gigs, but we're always looking to get our music heard by more people. There's a bit of a base for us in Yorkshire and the North-East and we'd like to build on that.
For those who haven't heard your music yet, what genre would you say you fall into?
In terms of form, our music would probably fall under the banner of alternative hip-hop. It relies heavily on the hip-hop standard of drums, samples and rap, but I think the choice and manipulation of samples and the flows and lyrical themes make it a bit different. I've never heard vocalists like Psy and Dan in any other music so it makes it hard to categorize, they've got an incredibly unique grasp on language.
It's a bit cliché but what inspires you with your music? Are you trying to send a certain message to people?
I wouldn't say that there's one specific message or purpose to the music. There are themes to it, like unity and desperation, and I suppose one or two tunes do send a clear message to people, but I think that most of it is kind of just blind expression.
Your album, which people can download by clicking here, is it the first of many? Surely, after producing such a top-notch first album, there will be another one on the horizon at some point.
Most certainly. We're playing with ideas for the next one already, and possibly a shorter release in the nearer future. For the moment, though, we're focusing on getting Dual Sides out there. It's taken us over a year to finally release so it's nice to enjoy just having it out.
Should we expect to see some live performances from you in the near future?
Definitely. We're looking to get touring the album in Spring and are in the process of finalising dates.
And, broadly speaking, what's next for you guys? New music? Public appearances? World domination?
Gigs are what we're focusing on at the moment, but musically there are a lot of options. We're always making music so we've got a lot of material to work with. At this point, we're trying to decide which direction to move in. Dual Sides was a lot of fun to make and we're all very proud with it, but it'd be pointless to recreate and milk it in further releases.
So there you have it, folks. There are big and brilliant things coming up for Ceiling Demons in the near future, and hopefully a few gigs along the way, so we'll keep you updated as new information is released from the band. Until then, don't forget to check out their album here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 29 January 2014
So you guys are relatively new on the music scene, but how long have you actually been working together?
We first came together in the summer of 2011 to record a tribute to a friend of ours who sadly passed away. I hadn't been making beats for very long at that point so it was very rough but I figured Psy and Dan would be up for it so I showed it to them and they jumped straight on it. It was sort of a one-off but we kept making new tracks here and there and in late December, 2012, we decided to release them as the Ceiling Demons EP. The reviews and features we got for it said good things and, by then, we had the foundations of our début album, Dual Sides, already in place so we chose to push on forward.
Now, pardon my ignorance on this one, but are you currently working with a record label or is all of your work independently distributed at the minute?
Everything we've done up to this point has been independent. It'd be nice to have a label to deal with the business side of it but it's also enjoyable having complete freedom over everything we do. Money can be a restraint, and we don't have a label to give us a big advance, but it's fun collaborating with artists on videos and artwork who do it completely for the love, and having limitations can often be beneficial as they have a tendency to force out bits of originality and creativity.
Are you hoping to take your music to a more mainstream market, or are you happy where you are right now?
We're really pleased with all the positive feedback we've had from our releases and gigs, but we're always looking to get our music heard by more people. There's a bit of a base for us in Yorkshire and the North-East and we'd like to build on that.
For those who haven't heard your music yet, what genre would you say you fall into?
In terms of form, our music would probably fall under the banner of alternative hip-hop. It relies heavily on the hip-hop standard of drums, samples and rap, but I think the choice and manipulation of samples and the flows and lyrical themes make it a bit different. I've never heard vocalists like Psy and Dan in any other music so it makes it hard to categorize, they've got an incredibly unique grasp on language.
It's a bit cliché but what inspires you with your music? Are you trying to send a certain message to people?
I wouldn't say that there's one specific message or purpose to the music. There are themes to it, like unity and desperation, and I suppose one or two tunes do send a clear message to people, but I think that most of it is kind of just blind expression.
Your album, which people can download by clicking here, is it the first of many? Surely, after producing such a top-notch first album, there will be another one on the horizon at some point.
Most certainly. We're playing with ideas for the next one already, and possibly a shorter release in the nearer future. For the moment, though, we're focusing on getting Dual Sides out there. It's taken us over a year to finally release so it's nice to enjoy just having it out.
Should we expect to see some live performances from you in the near future?
Definitely. We're looking to get touring the album in Spring and are in the process of finalising dates.
And, broadly speaking, what's next for you guys? New music? Public appearances? World domination?
Gigs are what we're focusing on at the moment, but musically there are a lot of options. We're always making music so we've got a lot of material to work with. At this point, we're trying to decide which direction to move in. Dual Sides was a lot of fun to make and we're all very proud with it, but it'd be pointless to recreate and milk it in further releases.
So there you have it, folks. There are big and brilliant things coming up for Ceiling Demons in the near future, and hopefully a few gigs along the way, so we'll keep you updated as new information is released from the band. Until then, don't forget to check out their album here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 29 January 2014
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: HARRIET GRACE TALKS TO US ABOUT HER HIT NOVEL, CELLS!
Here at Mad Hatter Reviews we're always on the look out for new talent to talk to. So when SilverWood Books, the wonderful publishing company responsible for releasing Harriet's début novel, 'Cells', got in touch with us about reviewing the book, we simply had to grab Harriet for a chat about the project.
How would you categorise ‘Cells’ for prospective readers? Did you have a genre in mind when you wrote the novel?
I would categorise it as ‘contemporary’. I wanted it to be about characters and relationships. I picked people and a situation unlike my own and found I was writing about a modern dilemma, namely a career couple who leave having a baby so late they don’t manage to get pregnant even with IVF. The book is about how you move on from that, the women’s ambivalence about wanting a baby, her husband’s fears about Jon, the other character, and about what his wife will do, etc. It’s about the haves – Martha and Grant - and a have not – Jon - and who in the end has more. I wanted there to be humour underlying a serious and potentially heart-breaking subject.
The impossible question: who was this novel aimed at? We talk a lot about our ideal readers, I wonder whether you had any for ‘Cells’?
I did not aim the novel at any particular reader; it was more about exploring a subject and characters I was interested in. Since its publication I have found that women of all ages and a surprising lot of men have liked it. Below are two very different responses from a female and male reader:
Female reader who works in ‘development’ for the European Union
‘It’s so powerful in a way that triggers questions and thoughts about our ability to communicate, our intrinsic loneliness... Not any book triggers these feelings. It has to do with writing with the heart, really delving into the lives and psyche of the characters.’
Male reader
‘Nobody was more surprised than I was. My usual fair is Bernard Cornwell, David Baldacci, Ian Rankin, Alistair MacLean, Isaac Asimov and the like. Not what you would call similar genres. However ‘Cells’ was a really good read. The imagery was amazing. I’d love to meet Black Plaits and I can really see Jon’s Dad standing in front of the fire with his hands in his pockets rattling his change and pontificating on the troubles of the world. A beautifully written book that kept me entranced.
Your website, which readers can access by clicking here, indicates that you have a flare for poetry, too! Do you have a preference between poetry and prose?
I have much more experience in prose writing and only over the last ten years have written poetry. A few years ago I was accepted on a residential poetry course with Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke (the national poet for Wales) which was inspiring. It made me realise how committed to poetry you need to be and how difficult it is to write and to know how much or little to write to make a poem. So, it’s not really about having a preference for writing prose or poetry, more that they come from different places in my head. With prose it feels like I have to find a story and people separate from myself; whereas with poetry it feels more about something I’m trying to work out for or about myself.
Might we see a full collection of poetry from yourself in the future?
I would like there to be a collection, perhaps accompanied with the occasional watercolour – if I could cope with that!
Are you working on a new novel at the minute?
I am!
When can readers expect to see this latest project hit the shelves?
In the next year or so! I’m a slow writer...
Harriet is a born and bred English writer who has spent her life occupying two roles: her career as a counsellor and her role as an author. After gaining an MA degree (with Distinction!) in Writing, from Sheffield Hallam, Harriet devoted more time to her writing, which eventually led to her work with SilverWood Books. 'Cells' is Harriet's début novel and you can find our review of this inspiring release in our Books & E-books section, here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 6 January 2014.
How would you categorise ‘Cells’ for prospective readers? Did you have a genre in mind when you wrote the novel?
I would categorise it as ‘contemporary’. I wanted it to be about characters and relationships. I picked people and a situation unlike my own and found I was writing about a modern dilemma, namely a career couple who leave having a baby so late they don’t manage to get pregnant even with IVF. The book is about how you move on from that, the women’s ambivalence about wanting a baby, her husband’s fears about Jon, the other character, and about what his wife will do, etc. It’s about the haves – Martha and Grant - and a have not – Jon - and who in the end has more. I wanted there to be humour underlying a serious and potentially heart-breaking subject.
The impossible question: who was this novel aimed at? We talk a lot about our ideal readers, I wonder whether you had any for ‘Cells’?
I did not aim the novel at any particular reader; it was more about exploring a subject and characters I was interested in. Since its publication I have found that women of all ages and a surprising lot of men have liked it. Below are two very different responses from a female and male reader:
Female reader who works in ‘development’ for the European Union
‘It’s so powerful in a way that triggers questions and thoughts about our ability to communicate, our intrinsic loneliness... Not any book triggers these feelings. It has to do with writing with the heart, really delving into the lives and psyche of the characters.’
Male reader
‘Nobody was more surprised than I was. My usual fair is Bernard Cornwell, David Baldacci, Ian Rankin, Alistair MacLean, Isaac Asimov and the like. Not what you would call similar genres. However ‘Cells’ was a really good read. The imagery was amazing. I’d love to meet Black Plaits and I can really see Jon’s Dad standing in front of the fire with his hands in his pockets rattling his change and pontificating on the troubles of the world. A beautifully written book that kept me entranced.
Your website, which readers can access by clicking here, indicates that you have a flare for poetry, too! Do you have a preference between poetry and prose?
I have much more experience in prose writing and only over the last ten years have written poetry. A few years ago I was accepted on a residential poetry course with Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke (the national poet for Wales) which was inspiring. It made me realise how committed to poetry you need to be and how difficult it is to write and to know how much or little to write to make a poem. So, it’s not really about having a preference for writing prose or poetry, more that they come from different places in my head. With prose it feels like I have to find a story and people separate from myself; whereas with poetry it feels more about something I’m trying to work out for or about myself.
Might we see a full collection of poetry from yourself in the future?
I would like there to be a collection, perhaps accompanied with the occasional watercolour – if I could cope with that!
Are you working on a new novel at the minute?
I am!
When can readers expect to see this latest project hit the shelves?
In the next year or so! I’m a slow writer...
Harriet is a born and bred English writer who has spent her life occupying two roles: her career as a counsellor and her role as an author. After gaining an MA degree (with Distinction!) in Writing, from Sheffield Hallam, Harriet devoted more time to her writing, which eventually led to her work with SilverWood Books. 'Cells' is Harriet's début novel and you can find our review of this inspiring release in our Books & E-books section, here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 6 January 2014.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: GARRETT ROBINSON CHATS WITH US ABOUT LITERARY PROJECTS, PAST AND PRESENT
Garrett Robinson, an independent author with multiple publications to his name, is based in the USA where he is currently working on a series of Young Adult releases with co-writer Z. C. Bolger. With an ever-growing back catalogue of literature behind him, ranging from telepathy gone wrong to teenage serial killers, it’s no real surprise that Robinson is making such a name for himself in the world of indie authors. So, after doing some digging around (and stalking him a little on Instagram) we finally tracked him down for an interview…
So it seems you have an impressive amount of publications out there! Is there anything new that you're working on at the minute?
Thanks for that! My current project is a series called Realm Keepers, co-written with Z. C. Bolger. It's a YA fantasy story written in a serialized format. The first several episodes are already available, and the first full volume (Midrealm) comes out on September 24th. We plan on publishing a new volume every three months until the series is done. Since the series will be six books long, that means we'll be cranking on it for just under another year and a half—and in that time we have to deliver more than 1.2 million words! Whoo!
For people who are unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe your preferred writing genre/style?
Well, for one thing, I want to mention that I usually write for adults. Nearly all of my work is sci fi/fantasy, but I've only started doing YA since I started writing with Z. C. Bolger. Everything else I've published is NOT for kids. I considered publishing my YA titles under a pen name, but I already had such a fledgling following with my real name that I didn't think I could devote the time to trying to maintain two.
But with that caveat aside, I like writing high-action genre stories. My stuff is generally pretty fast-paced. I really love good dialogue. But mostly I like for people to have fun in my stories. There are scenes written to make you cry, but I'm no George R. R. Martin. There's a bittersweetness to finishing a book, a regret that the adventure is over and now you have to move on with your real life. But aside from that, I don't like finishing books and feeling sad, depressed or wondering if there's any point in life. *cough-cough-redwedding-cough*
I know most authors have a target audience in mind when they create a book, or at least an idea of who their readers will be. How do you picture your readers?
I picture my readers as total nerds, like me, of pretty much whatever age (though like I said, I wouldn't give my earlier stuff to young people). I write books that I would love to read, and I am a card-carrying nerd with my tattoo in Elvish and my collection of Star Wars shirt. So my books tend to have a lot of in-jokes and easter eggs that only other people like me would spot, but if they spot them, it makes the book that much better. (Don't worry, you'll still enjoy them if you're not a nerd).
So most of my protagonists are nerds. Sally from Touch is an internet and TV junkie. Cliff from Non Zombie is a WoW addict and LARPer. Nikki from Hit Girls plays lots of video games.
Realm Keepers is probably the best example of this (or worst, depending on your opinion). I'm actually guilty of more than a little wish fulfillment there. The series is about six mismatched high school kids who start going to a magical universe every time they sleep, where they become these heroic wizards who have to stop an evil warlord from reaching Earth and conquering it. And one of these high school kids is a kid named Calvin, and he's me. He's just me in a thirteen-year-old body (he's thirteen in high school because he skipped grades because he's a hyper-genius). So everyone else is freaking out because they have lives on Earth and lives in Midrealm, but Calvin just thinks it's the best thing ever. And he speaks with wizards and knights and stuff and he'll say these things like, "Oh, a wizard in grey. Don't worry, everyone, he's a good guy."
Needless to say, Calvin pretty immediately became a fan favorite.
The tricky questions for writers everywhere! Where do you find your inspiration?
I've been asked this before, and I know a writer is supposed to scrunch up their face and pontificate for a moment. Or maybe wave a hand and spout some airy words about the Muse or a higher power.
The truth is, I don't have trouble getting inspired. I think that any idea, no matter how stupid, can be turned into a story. I learned that lesson from two friends of mine, fellow indie authors, who were talking on their podcast one day and sort of accidentally came up with the idea for a book called Unicorn Western. It is EXACTLY what it sounds like. And it's amazing. So after that, how can you think it's hard to come up with ideas?
It doesn't happen the same way every time. I'll hear something or watch something that sparks an idea. I'll develop it for a bit, and if it gets my blood going, I write it. If it doesn't, I don't. My first book, was just a random thought one day: "You know, if someone really did develop telepathy as a teenager, depending on what their life was like, they'd probably grow up to be really messed up." And so that became my first book, Touch, about a woman named Sally who got powers at fifteen and couldn't deal with suddenly learning everybody's secrets, so she grew up to become a recluse. Non Zombie happened because I heard a British guy leave a voice mail on my favorite podcast suggesting they write a book about a zombie who regains his humanity. The hosts said they didn't want to do it, so I found the guy's contact info, wrote him an email to double-check for permission, and wrote it. Hit Girls was another random thought: "Fifteen-year-old psychotic serial killer!" That was it. The rest of the story developed from there.
Realm Keepers is the first project that has REALLY gotten my blood going, which is why we just decided to go all-out and write the entire series at once, nonstop.
The world, your life, generates more ideas for stories than you will ever have the time to write. Take an idea, no matter how stupid, and try to develop it. Flesh it out a bit. If it chaps your brisket, roll with it.
And finally, when can we expect a new release from you?
The finale of the first Realm Keepers book comes out Tuesday, September 17th, and the full volume, Midrealm, is available a week after that on the 24th. At that point you can pre-order the second book, Wyrmspire, which releases on December 17th.
You can find more information on Garrett Robinson, and keep up to date with his current projects, by heading over to his personal website, which you can access here. Alternatively, if what you’ve read here is enough to wet your literary whistle - it’s certainly intrigued us! - then you can head over to his Amazon page, by clicking here, and check out the impressive range of titles that he has available to download now.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 15 September 2013
So it seems you have an impressive amount of publications out there! Is there anything new that you're working on at the minute?
Thanks for that! My current project is a series called Realm Keepers, co-written with Z. C. Bolger. It's a YA fantasy story written in a serialized format. The first several episodes are already available, and the first full volume (Midrealm) comes out on September 24th. We plan on publishing a new volume every three months until the series is done. Since the series will be six books long, that means we'll be cranking on it for just under another year and a half—and in that time we have to deliver more than 1.2 million words! Whoo!
For people who are unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe your preferred writing genre/style?
Well, for one thing, I want to mention that I usually write for adults. Nearly all of my work is sci fi/fantasy, but I've only started doing YA since I started writing with Z. C. Bolger. Everything else I've published is NOT for kids. I considered publishing my YA titles under a pen name, but I already had such a fledgling following with my real name that I didn't think I could devote the time to trying to maintain two.
But with that caveat aside, I like writing high-action genre stories. My stuff is generally pretty fast-paced. I really love good dialogue. But mostly I like for people to have fun in my stories. There are scenes written to make you cry, but I'm no George R. R. Martin. There's a bittersweetness to finishing a book, a regret that the adventure is over and now you have to move on with your real life. But aside from that, I don't like finishing books and feeling sad, depressed or wondering if there's any point in life. *cough-cough-redwedding-cough*
I know most authors have a target audience in mind when they create a book, or at least an idea of who their readers will be. How do you picture your readers?
I picture my readers as total nerds, like me, of pretty much whatever age (though like I said, I wouldn't give my earlier stuff to young people). I write books that I would love to read, and I am a card-carrying nerd with my tattoo in Elvish and my collection of Star Wars shirt. So my books tend to have a lot of in-jokes and easter eggs that only other people like me would spot, but if they spot them, it makes the book that much better. (Don't worry, you'll still enjoy them if you're not a nerd).
So most of my protagonists are nerds. Sally from Touch is an internet and TV junkie. Cliff from Non Zombie is a WoW addict and LARPer. Nikki from Hit Girls plays lots of video games.
Realm Keepers is probably the best example of this (or worst, depending on your opinion). I'm actually guilty of more than a little wish fulfillment there. The series is about six mismatched high school kids who start going to a magical universe every time they sleep, where they become these heroic wizards who have to stop an evil warlord from reaching Earth and conquering it. And one of these high school kids is a kid named Calvin, and he's me. He's just me in a thirteen-year-old body (he's thirteen in high school because he skipped grades because he's a hyper-genius). So everyone else is freaking out because they have lives on Earth and lives in Midrealm, but Calvin just thinks it's the best thing ever. And he speaks with wizards and knights and stuff and he'll say these things like, "Oh, a wizard in grey. Don't worry, everyone, he's a good guy."
Needless to say, Calvin pretty immediately became a fan favorite.
The tricky questions for writers everywhere! Where do you find your inspiration?
I've been asked this before, and I know a writer is supposed to scrunch up their face and pontificate for a moment. Or maybe wave a hand and spout some airy words about the Muse or a higher power.
The truth is, I don't have trouble getting inspired. I think that any idea, no matter how stupid, can be turned into a story. I learned that lesson from two friends of mine, fellow indie authors, who were talking on their podcast one day and sort of accidentally came up with the idea for a book called Unicorn Western. It is EXACTLY what it sounds like. And it's amazing. So after that, how can you think it's hard to come up with ideas?
It doesn't happen the same way every time. I'll hear something or watch something that sparks an idea. I'll develop it for a bit, and if it gets my blood going, I write it. If it doesn't, I don't. My first book, was just a random thought one day: "You know, if someone really did develop telepathy as a teenager, depending on what their life was like, they'd probably grow up to be really messed up." And so that became my first book, Touch, about a woman named Sally who got powers at fifteen and couldn't deal with suddenly learning everybody's secrets, so she grew up to become a recluse. Non Zombie happened because I heard a British guy leave a voice mail on my favorite podcast suggesting they write a book about a zombie who regains his humanity. The hosts said they didn't want to do it, so I found the guy's contact info, wrote him an email to double-check for permission, and wrote it. Hit Girls was another random thought: "Fifteen-year-old psychotic serial killer!" That was it. The rest of the story developed from there.
Realm Keepers is the first project that has REALLY gotten my blood going, which is why we just decided to go all-out and write the entire series at once, nonstop.
The world, your life, generates more ideas for stories than you will ever have the time to write. Take an idea, no matter how stupid, and try to develop it. Flesh it out a bit. If it chaps your brisket, roll with it.
And finally, when can we expect a new release from you?
The finale of the first Realm Keepers book comes out Tuesday, September 17th, and the full volume, Midrealm, is available a week after that on the 24th. At that point you can pre-order the second book, Wyrmspire, which releases on December 17th.
You can find more information on Garrett Robinson, and keep up to date with his current projects, by heading over to his personal website, which you can access here. Alternatively, if what you’ve read here is enough to wet your literary whistle - it’s certainly intrigued us! - then you can head over to his Amazon page, by clicking here, and check out the impressive range of titles that he has available to download now.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 15 September 2013