Regroup
I have a bit of sorting out to do with my priorities. The book projects are really stalling at the moment and I have perhaps lost my way or at least momentum.
I am struggling with the cat story, It is partly finding quality time and partly getting going. I want to carry on with my saga, I even burn for it. I get so swept up in the drama as it plays through my head . However, I can see the idea of taking a break and will stick to writing something else to stop me getting stale.
I am waiting for the response from the WBC. If they tell me the saga is unmarketable, I should just walk away, but I still think that it has a future, perhaps in the Regional market. why not? Nobody has ever thought about Cardiganshire lead miners and their culture before from what I can see. It has potential in Welsh fiction, old mining areas in the country and exiles abroad.
The agent sent me a personalised response, which was I believe quite a success. Agents are busy people and don't have time to indulge, so why can't i think of it as a positive? She said that the writing was good and had some excellent ideas in the storyline, so why do I feel deflated?
Probably because the criticism highlighted two areas that could mean a reassessment of something that has taken two years to date. I feel a bit world weary!
She highlighted that the story was more telling than showing and did not feel it brought the reader to feel part of it. I must admit that the first two chapters are heavier on description than dialogue, and as these are what hooks you in (and what she read), I may have to rewrite.
The second thing was that she had problems with a first person male narration. She did not feel that the female protagonists were strong. I thought they were - perhaps they are later on in the book. I must check that.
The one problem is that the saga/history market is deemed predominantly a female audience and novels are looked as having a female lead by the publishing houses. This is what agents are looking for, it sells. I know that male narration has succeeded before - 'How Green was my valley' and Alexander Cordell are classic examples of the past. I also know that male leads have succeeded- 'Poldark' and some of Julian Rathbone's novels also testify. So, the quest is to find someone who aagrees with me - maybe I should tweak the story and send it out again!
Hmmm...
She failed and my mss came back from agent, albeit with personalised rejection.
Bit of a shit day all round really...
More to follow when the biorhythms improve
Progress
Cat project - opening written. He's a bit of a geezer, it appears.
Mine story - No response from Welsh Books Council or agent. That's how it goes...
Notes: Managed not to attend the Annual Writers Conference this year. Funds have been diverted into keeping the car roadworthy amongst other things! It's a great opportunity to have a one to one with an agent, which helps. It's a toss-up as to whether it helps or not. Never mind, there's always next year.
Speaking of cars, my wife has a driving test today. The psyche of these times means that most think you can't survive without a car. Gone are the days spent as a child, standing out in the pouring rain with my mum waiting for the little green bus to take us to town! Funny how technology becomes adopted and then becomes a necessity. Note the sight of people driving up to the post box at the bottom of our street to post a letter. Parking, as they do on a junction, oblivious to the dangers. As time progresses, I am waiting for the day I have to provide the self adhesive for my daughter to permanently glue the mobile phone to her ear as a necessity...
But then, our lifestyles mean that people's work and social are over a larger distance than they were in the days of Victorian lead miners. Back then, a good pair of legs were essential to get around. No motor cars and horses were a luxury. The air must have been cleaner too, up in the hills.
That said, I really hope she passes.
A new project
My good friend Rod Duncan (Author of Backlash, Breakbeat and Burnout- 3 crime novels based in Leicester) gave me a good tip. When finished one novel, try writing something different next. Don't go straight on to more of the same. It broadens your outlook, gives you experience of different genres and narratives. Helps you develop.
I thought about this and whilst Book2 burns to be written and the quarry novel peaks my interest, I thought I would spend a bit of time writing something completely out of historical sagas.
My recently departed cat gave me an idea to write a testimonial, the more notes I made, the more I have got into stories of his life and the remaining mogs. So, Tiger's autobiography is my current project. Written through the eyes of a cat, probably a piece of work for my posterity alone, but a bit of fun. Not sure how long its going to be, but at least my research is lesser - more of cat psychology.
The book, provisionally entitled 'the turn of the wheel' is now sent off to a poor unsuspecting agent and being critiqued by the Welsh Books Council. Here's hoping...
Death is the end of life for most, no more shreddies, no more toast
If you're not a cat lover, you haven't got a clue. The little buggers get under your skin. They keep you sane and drive you insane. They provide comfort and shed hair everywhere.
My little cat, Tiger was put down yesterday. When I got home, he was lying there so out of sorts and making mournful miaows. The vet took about 10 seconds to deduce what I knew was coming, both kidneys had gone to tumour and given up. He had to go.
He made no move, save a look at his paw, as the vet tried to locate a vein, the blood pressure was so low, he had to try three places to inject him and ended up at the tail. Then the little boy just lay there, eyes half open and just drifted away. No dramatic sighs, no final acknowledgements, the eyes glazed over and he was gone.
I put him in an old towel and dug a hole under the plum tree and as I held him one last time, he was like the kitten I had been given by a neighbour. He's at rest now in the clay and gets the sun in the morning. He's home, that's important to me.
I still have 4 left. One is on my knee as I write this. He is an old cat, an abandoned one who walked in one day and stayed. I've been expecting him to keel over for the last 5 years, been ready for it even. That's what hurts. Tiger was his normal self up to Tuesday, following us around the garden. sneaking onto the spare chair at the table, where a little head suddenly appears over the edge and you have to shoo him before an investigatory paw hooks some food away. Then Wednesday night, he was withdrawn and 48 hours later, he has gone.
I will get over it of course, but I can't help feeling my characters handle death better than me. Sleep well Tigger Puss, catch some birds in cat heaven.
A new start
I'm putting together the plan for book 2. I don't have enough background info gathered for the quarry and I'm keen to write once more. It's interesting reading over my original tale.
I started with a story that took the life of Owain Lloyd, then I realised it was too damn fast and squeezed into 100,000 words. So I chopped it into three. The first 10 chapters now have been expanded and re-written as book 1. I have the last 10 chapters earmarked for book 3 and they will be in a very interesting time period. that leaves the original 2 chapters in the middle, where I tried to skip 11 years. Now I have to make them into book 2! Jotting down notes, I think there's enough human material there.
The other reason for doing this, is to generate another potential project. if I can map out the storyline for book 2, then book 3 I will have the background to embark on book 1 of the sequel! Dafydd Lloyd (not, I would mention, the only gay in the vill-ej...), whose career gets caught up in the railway industry. not a train spotters manual, mind you. Some juicy bits of local history, the first world war and a love triangle. Ooh err...
Then there's the sequel of his son perhaps!!!
I just think I need to have a few things to work on, so I can drop one and pick up another as and when the situation arises. Not work on all at once!!!
I also need to take my mind off my cat, Tiger aka Tigger, Tig, Twinkletoes, Pushkin, Bastard, Oi!, shurrup etc etc. who is poorly and showing unnerving symptoms similar to a previous mog who died of kidney failure. One of his kidneys is enlarged. Hmmm...
A Novel update
Synopses now written and a frame of a begging letter for agents in the bag also. A very kind friend pointed out that the Welsh Books Council offer a free Manuscript reading service, so the novel has gone to them. They are based in Aberystwyth, which helps a lot - my home town and an excuse to see the folks! I shall await their appraisal with interest and a large degree of trepidation!
My current thought is I should start writing again. i would dearly love to carry on Book 2 of Owain Lloyd and the Cardiganshire lead mine, but if I am looking to be published, I should really wait until book 1 is taken before carrying on with a sequel? I do have a germ of an idea for a north wales quarry as mentioned before, so may well start planning that. Dilemma city.
Anyway, progress but very slow, partly due to my reticence of challenging the market with my product! Stay tuned.
