Libraries I have known - One

MK mobile library - bouncy floor, looking up at the counter

I recently visited Gladstone's Library (formerly St. Deiniols) in Hawarden - while I was there I was reminded of many other libraries that I have utilised. There are more than I thought:

One - The Milton Keynes Mobile Library. 

The library would stop outside my school and we would all go out to choose a book. The floor was bouncy and there was a small window at one end that we went to to take out books. I don't remember any specific books that I borrowed, just that I was into FuzzBuzz at the time.*

My impression of this library at the time was that it was great. Probably more for the novelty than for the books. I liked springing on the floor and I liked that it was a bus with books in it - so convenient.

*SHOCKER: I've just found out via Wikipedia that FuzzBuzz books were 'for school age children who may be experiencing problems with reading.' I suppose it's fair enough that they didn't tell me at the time that I was in the 'remedial' group - I thought everyone read FuzzBuzz. 

The start of something longer

The start of something is often scary and exciting. This one is weighing heavily on the scary side at the moment: I've said I'll write a short novel.

Three big things to be nervous about :

• Research - will it be thorough enough? How will I do it?

• Quantity of words - 2-3000 has so far been my limit. This will be significantly longer.

• Quality of words - what if it's rubbish?

A sketch about an artist.

I haven't posted any fiction on here before, but this sketch came to mind recently. I wrote it a few years ago as part of a series inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper. 

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Highland Light, North Truro

Inspired by Edward Hopper's painting of the same name



   Wanna hear about the light? A man calls out of the lighthouse window. You interested in lighthouses?

   The painter looks up. Well…he says.

   I know a lot about the light, the man shouts. I’ve been here fifteen years. Seen a lot of action – this has. He pats the window frame.

   Sure, says the painter. He is looking back down at his canvas. I bet.

   So you’re painting the lighthouse? The man leans out of the window. Paint many of ‘em? The man’s face is reddening as he bends over the sill.

   Yes. The painter doesn’t look up.

   Make any money out of it?

   Excuse me? He looks up.

   You make much? The man holds out his hand and rubs his fingers and thumb together.

   The painter blinks. Some, he says.

   My sister paints some. The man leans out a little too far and topples back again. Mind if I take a look?

  In a moment the red-faced man is limping towards the painter, re-adjusting his shirt-sleeves so they’re firmly above his elbows.

   Did you go to classes? yells the man. Like an evening class or something? He peers over the top of the canvas.

   The painter opens his mouth and then closes it.

   My sister also does ceramics. Do you do ceramics? He looks into the painters face. You know, pots?

   The painter shakes his head.

   It’s all with the hands, isn’t it? Painting, pottery…

   The man puts his hands on his hips and looks over the painters head and into the ocean. Quiet, he says.

   Yes, says the painter. He looks over his shoulder at the gentle waves. Fifteen years? No vacation?

   Who needs it? I’d stay here forever if they’d let me. The man nods slowly and crosses his arms. You like to travel, huh? Like to see new places?

   A little. I like the Cape. The painter looks down at his redundant brush and crosses his arms in front of him. Hmm, is it getting cold? he says.

   I dunno, says the red-faced man. He looks around him.

   The painter looks down at the box he keeps his painting things in and shuffles on his stool.

   Feel the cold, huh? The man peers at the painter. You need a heavier jacket.

   Yeah, maybe. Well, I’m done for today. I think I have enough.

   Really? The man peers down at the canvas with his hands in his pockets. Sure, ok.

   Well, I have to call my wife in half an hour from the drugstore. The painter shakes his sleeve and looks at his wristwatch.

   Fred, says the man. He holds out his hand.

   The painter shakes it and gets up to leave.

Book Group Reading

I've never been to a book group or book club before, but I heard they were everywhere and I thought one would make a good and captive audience for a reading. A few weeks ago I left my contact details at my local libraries for them to pass on to book groups. The following week I had two phone calls from two separate groups.

This morning, then, I read my story, Good Condolences, to a book group that meets at Newport Pagnell library. It was a very enjoyable experience for me and they said, for them too.

When I'd finished reading, people asked me questions and talked about the characters in my story as if they were real people. I suppose they are now. I've made something that sort-of breathes for itself. Creation is fun - creation with a small 'c,' but we all know, as Peter Parker's Aunt May says, 'with great power comes great responsibility' (Spider-Man).

People in the group shared their stories - their personal stories - and I felt nothing but privilege and gratitude. It was magic.

I'm reading to a different book group in a couple of weeks, I wonder if they will enjoy the story as much - I hope so!

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I have had a busy week so I forced myself to go for walks. It's pretty lush outside at the moment...

Good Condolences - more copies available!

A couple of people asked me at Greenbelt if I had any more of 'the green ones' (Good Condolences) and I didn't. But I have just finished a fresh batch and they're available on etsy or if you don't do etsy, or can't afford £6.50, send me an email or do a comment below and we'll discuss delivery. 

If you want more info about this chapbook, look at an earlier blog post. 

Start 'em young...

The young artist who helped to illustrate Map is my cousin Millie. 

Amelia Grace Kay spots her handy-work.

The middle pages of Map include a fold-out section which made for a nice effect, but a more fiddly process - here's a preview - the 'map' of the title : 

Middle pages of Map

Finished Article

Not really a champion of self-publishing

After a long hard think, I am replying to a couple of twitter questions. Hopefully the person who asked them won't mind my repeating them here:

@debjfielding Do you have any thoughts on self-publishing for short stories? It seems to be a way of getting stuff out there easier.

@debjfielding ... And without the hassle and cost of a traditional publisher. People will pay a quid for a short book, but not a fiver.

My thoughts on self-publishing short stories is that I have done it, but only for specific reasons and only in one format. I made chapbooks because I wanted to make a solid whole piece of work from start to finish. I wanted complete control over the work and wanted to physically make the books myself. I was working on the idea, as I've mentioned on this blog before, of making the equivalent of a self-released music EP. Something that I could show, like a card or a sample of my work, but also something I could easily show at readings and events. Selling the chapbooks was only ever going to be a bonus. I never intended to make a fortune (which is lucky, because at the most, I have made enough to buy the paper to print them on). 

My thoughts on it being easy are that it is not. 'Getting stuff out there' is very very hard before anyone has heard of you. It is particularly hard if you have never read at an event or been seen by anyone (in my limited experience). It is not quick and it is time consuming and it isn't really very cheap. I did work out how much it cost me to make each book and I can just about cover the cost of the materials, but not the time. And in fact, I have given away more than I have sold. And I haven't sold that many. If you want people to read your self-published books you need to give some away - speculate to accumulate. My other job is working for a small business and I have learned a lot about the value of sending free samples. If you want people to notice you, you have to make them notice you. You can't expect people to buy your work unless they've heard of you or read a sample of your writing.

I don't know what the 'hassle and cost of a traditional publisher' is, having never had a novel published, but it seems like it's a completely different kettle of fish. I can't compare. All I know is that making chapbooks or pamphlets (if you make them well and the story is good) is a labour of love. And I have loved it! 

But really the chapbooks are about the stories. The story is the bit that counts. You have to be confident that it is good.

Perhaps you are more interested in promoting your work and having people read it than in making chapbooks, so I'll address that too. I have had short stories published in various places (magazines, anthologies, online journals) and the chapbooks have come later. I am not planning to make anymore chapbooks - I spent eighteen months on them and now I am looking to work on something else. 

So my advice, such as it is, is to keep writing and to submit to magazines and competitions and to try to perform your work, or to volunteer at writing events, go to readings, and to do stuff for free. Try to write as well as you can and read loads. As I mentioned in my talk, Jon McGregor said that short stories are a great place to start for writers. Or perhaps a great way to start again and get a fresh perspective.

So, self-publishing has a place, but it has to be good (professionally edited), it has to be beautifully presented (for me) and it's not an end in itself - it won't make you money and it's really hard to publicise. But it can be very satisfying, hugely fun and a great place to start. I have written about my process in earlier posts - so feel free to have a look. This may all sound obvious to you and you may have heard it before - but it's all I've got! I don't want to discourage from self-publishing, but it is important to do it for the right reasons.

To finish - a poster about art that I have posted in my blog before. It's something to think about.