Talking female authors for International Women's Day | & meet novelist James Kinsley
Events and opportunities include Curtis Brown Breakthrough Writers’ programme, York Literature Festival, Waterstones book events for children, World Book Day & more
My dear wordsmiths,
Happy World Book Day! It’s every day for me but if you are a parent of a school age child one day is probably sufficient. We can’t argue against the great opportunity for booksellers to shift a few copies (and supermarkets to sell cut price costumes), mind you.
Anyway as it’s World Book Day today and International Women’s Day tomorrow (March 8) I decided to showcase a few books by female authors I’ve read, those I am reading (yes, I usually have three on the go), and those I plan to read in the very near future. I’ve linked all of them to independent booksellers because it’s only fair. I’m not one for giving away the story either..
However, it has not passed me by that to write you must read, but if you read you have no time to write. One of life’s conundrums.
Just a reminder, please subscribe if not and share - I’m so close to a milestone! It’s free! And a like or comment would be lovely…
Books I’ve read recently by female authors..
(all linked to independent book shops)
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (via Daunt Books): I’m a bit late to the party on this one as it was a number one global best-seller, made into a TV series, and won every award going yet I’ve only just got round to it. It certainly seems International Women’s Day appropriate as it chronicles the story of super-bright single mum Elizabeth Ott’s unlikely rise to stardom as a chemistry-minded cooking show host in the 1950s - a woman in a man’s world. She teaches cooking but, oh, so much more to bored housewives. My first takeaway is the descriptive, yet straightforward, style of third person writing - it takes no prisoners in its honesty which reflects Elizabeth’s very un-1950s direct approach to life. For readers it’s a joy and for writers it’s a workshop in how to approach dialogue.
Verity by Colleen Hoover (via Sevenoaks Book Shop: Apparently I’m the only person on #BookTok not to have read Colleen Hoover and I still can’t claim an entire book because I got Verity on passing through a charity shop (Air Ambulance) and pages 30-36 are missing. I’d advise buying a new copy from a nice independent book shop as linked above. Anyway, this a thriller involving a writer (this sold it to me) and the literary equivalent of a really good spicy pasta meal at a restaurant that you inhale in five seconds but cannot reproduce in your own kitchen. Good example of first person writing and how to market yourself on social - her books are selling like hot cakes. Book snobs, look away.
The Runaway Bride by Felicity York (via Bookshop.org - independent bookshops): I’ll be upfront and say this book landed in my bag via your good folks at Harper North (the northern outpost of Harper Collins in Manchester) who somewhat unwisely let me in their book cupboard when I was there about something else entirely. There’s nothing I like more than 1. An author from Lancashire (yes, I’m biased), 2. A book inspired by a true story but dramatised and 3. A spot of historical regency scandal with a whiff of Bridgerton. Luckily, Felicity had my back and concocted this delightful story of romance and subterfuge which is the perfect escape from my day job.
Book’s I’m reading/plan to read if I ever have time
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse (via White Horse Books: This was an airport purchase but as I was travelling to Austria (don’t mention the ski accident) with fellow journalists I didn’t read past page three as journalists are not known for their quiet and chat-free personalities. But enough to know that when travelling to the Alps one should not read a scary story about an abandoned sanatorium in the Alps and people vanishing. One to finish in my nice, warm, book nook - but I’m already hooked.
Fly me to Moongate Manor by Kate Forster (via Belfast Books): I haven’t started this yet though it strikes me that after a day of murder and mayhem which is every day in local news leadership - this book sounds like exactly what I need. I think this was kindly send to me by the publisher (Head of Zeus - thankyou) as it’s a second but it tells the story of a woman called Amanda who leaves New York for England, a beautiful manor in the countryside and handsome motorbiking chap called Simon. One for fellow reality escapees.
Meet.. author James Kinsley (Ray Adams)
“Perhaps there’s an element of external validation I’m seeking..”
James Kinsley
WHO?
My name’s James Kinsley, an aspiring* novelist from Norfolk, England. My first published novella was called Playtime’s Over, a look at my own mental health issues through a fictional lens, about a young man called Will who feels he has no way out of his own troubles except by taking his own life, and the strange journey he’s taken on, in his own subconscious as he’s dying, by the enigmatic Viktor. My second book, Greyskin, is a tapestry of interwoven colonial stories in a fantasy western setting. I also self-publish science fiction under the name Ray Adams.
Genre writing is probably where I feel most comfortable, so in some ways it’s strange that my first published work was a piece of contemporary literary fiction, but it was both an intensely personal and universally ‘right now’ work, and I think its sense of conviction allowed me to have faith in it. It gave me the courage to show my writing to strangers, something I had never done before.
(*Note from Nicola - nothing aspiring about it, he’s written two books - he’s an author ;-)
WHAT?
My aim as a writer is to find an audience, to connect with people by telling stories. I want to explore subjects that are important to me, such as mental health, environmentalism, feminism and toxic masculinity, but I also want to invent strange new worlds and write action-packed adventures that people will just get a fun kick out of reading. I want to write every kind of book I can, and become a better writer with each successive title.
WHERE?
It all started for me in primary school. My favourite thing to do as a kid was make up stories, and that’s never changed.
WHY?
I’ve little aptitude for any other artistic or creative field, visual arts, music, etc but words, words I can do. And everyone needs a form of creative outlet, it’s good for the soul, for your wellbeing. Perhaps there’s an element of external validation I’m seeking, which isn’t necessarily so healthy, but ultimately, it’s something I feel I can do, and when there’s so many things I feel I can’t do, or can’t control, writing gives me purpose and a sense of achievement.
WHEN?
My work’s available now – Playtime’s Over and Greyskin from their respective publishers, Propolis and Deixis Press . My self-published work is available via (ughh) Amazon and I’m working on the sixth title in my sci-fi range right now.
HOW?
I’ve very little advice about how to get published, as it all happened very quickly for me, except to say it’s a matter of putting the right book in front of the right person at the right time. Naturally, the part of that you have the most control over is getting the right book, so that has to be where you start. I say the ‘getting published’ happened quickly for me, but that was still after decades of writing and making up stories. The quick part was going from ‘trying to get published’ to ‘being published’. A sign, perhaps, that those decades of just trying to write paid off and I made a good choice in deciding when I was actually ready.
The biggest leap forward I made was when I stopped worrying about creating something good, and just focused on creating something. Too many projects fell by the wayside as I decided, prematurely, that they were terrible. Making a conscious decision to write something and not care how well it turned out was a breakthrough, and it eventually became my first self-published book. Writing something bad and then making it good is so much easier than just writing something good. I wish I’d learned that a long time ago. When you then have the right book, that’s when you start worrying about finding the right person to put it in front of.
WHAT AM I READING RIGHT NOW?
JM Burgoyne’s gothic western Writer, which is so good it has me tearing my hair out in professional envy; sci-fi classic Last and First Men by Olaf Stapleton and Peter Ustinov’s memoir Dear Me.
Thanks so much to James!
Events & opportunities
Curtis Brown Breakthrough Writers’ programme: Free scholarships, courses and mentoring opportunities for under-represented writers from one of the biggest literary agencies in the UK. Aims to seek out talented writers, who would not otherwise have joined creative writing courses and give them the best of our tuition and mentoring, delivered by successful author-tutors, literary agents and publishers
York Literature Festival: Already underway but with events spread across March, it includes lots of appearances, workshops, talks and much more. Check out the website.
World Book Day 2024 (March 7 i.e today): If you have a child of school age you probably already well aware of WBD and I’m sure there were loads of cool costumes donned today . There are lots of events and ideas on the website which are relevant all year round.
Waterstones events for children: Did you know there are multiple events aimed at young readers held across the UK network of Waterstones all year round from storytime to book clubs and themed readings. (they do events for adults too.
Journo Resources: The wise people at Journo Resources have written this interesting piece on freelance journalism - how to find niches.
Thanks for reading as always, have a lovely rest of the week. If you want to take part in the Q&A or have an event/opportunity you would like me to include either reply to this email or..