You might've noticed that I've been a bit quiet on here for the last few weeks. I've had a lot of things going on, and today-tomorrow everything changes for me.
First off... I've got a job! I'll be working as Receptionist/Publishing assistant (Publicity and Marketing) at Souvenir Press. This is initially a one year contract to cover maternity leave, but who knows where this will lead. It's my first day tomorrow (Monday), so as I type I'm currently very excited-nervous. I feel like my job-hunt went on for ages, though really it was only a few months, I suppose. But it's such a relief to know it's over now, and that I can take a break from looking for jobs for a while! I'm also really thrilled to have this opportunity to join Souvenir Press - the company is celebrating its 60th year of independent publishing this year, which is quite a landmark! I'm looking forward to getting stuck in - fingers crossed tomorrow goes well!
The other big change round here is that I've properly moved in with my boyfriend. My parents brought me over to the flat this afternoon with a car-full of stuff (mainly books and clothes, if I'm honest), and I've spent most of my time since then trying to find space for everything. There's a home for most things at the minute, but we'll see how things go. I've just remembered that I need to go and rearrange my books in a bit, because my parents put them on the shelves, not realising that I at least have some sort of system...
Phew. So all this change is quite exhausting. I'm going to sort my books now.
Sunday 21 August 2011
Thursday 4 August 2011
Job-hunting updates
It's been quite an eventful couple of weeks, if I stop and think about it.
First of all, I got in contact with a woman who lives (as it turns out) just round the corner from me. She runs a one-woman literary agency, and I thought I might be able to help out. It turned out that she also works for a small independent publishing company, so I'm actually involved with that, though on an unpaid basis, because the company has virtually no money. This is sad, but it does mean that I'm getting to do quite a bit. For example, I'm currently putting together their schedule for the Frankfurt Book Fair which is showing that, despite what anyone else might say, I've actually got pretty good organisational skills. Hooray.
But my work with this company is entirely unpaid, and so it's on a very casual basis. I don't feel like I need to be working 9-5:30 every day. I'm working from home, too, which means it's not costing me anything, unlike when I was doing more formal internships in London which cost an arm and a leg... So it's quite enjoyable, and it's giving me something to do with my day.
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I also had an interview for a proper job today. One with a real salary, and everything. It would only be a year-long contract while someone was on maternity leave, but it would be a start, a step in the right direction. They're interviewing for a few more days, but in theory I should know one way or another by the end of next week. Fingers crossed, I guess!
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Other than that, things have been pretty quiet for me, which is why there haven't been many updates. I haven't even read that many books! It's crazy. I read a lot more when I'm working than when I'm not, just because I like to read on the train each day.
Anyway. Enough from me. I've got (possibly) conjunctivitis, my mum reckons. All I know is that my eye hurts, quite a lot. So staring at a screen isn't the best thing for it. So I'll stop typing........... now.
First of all, I got in contact with a woman who lives (as it turns out) just round the corner from me. She runs a one-woman literary agency, and I thought I might be able to help out. It turned out that she also works for a small independent publishing company, so I'm actually involved with that, though on an unpaid basis, because the company has virtually no money. This is sad, but it does mean that I'm getting to do quite a bit. For example, I'm currently putting together their schedule for the Frankfurt Book Fair which is showing that, despite what anyone else might say, I've actually got pretty good organisational skills. Hooray.
But my work with this company is entirely unpaid, and so it's on a very casual basis. I don't feel like I need to be working 9-5:30 every day. I'm working from home, too, which means it's not costing me anything, unlike when I was doing more formal internships in London which cost an arm and a leg... So it's quite enjoyable, and it's giving me something to do with my day.
*
I also had an interview for a proper job today. One with a real salary, and everything. It would only be a year-long contract while someone was on maternity leave, but it would be a start, a step in the right direction. They're interviewing for a few more days, but in theory I should know one way or another by the end of next week. Fingers crossed, I guess!
*
Other than that, things have been pretty quiet for me, which is why there haven't been many updates. I haven't even read that many books! It's crazy. I read a lot more when I'm working than when I'm not, just because I like to read on the train each day.
Anyway. Enough from me. I've got (possibly) conjunctivitis, my mum reckons. All I know is that my eye hurts, quite a lot. So staring at a screen isn't the best thing for it. So I'll stop typing........... now.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Creativity: Self-doubt
Do you remember the post a little while back where I was all like WAHEY I'M WRITING A NOVEL! No? Well, here it is, in case you forgot.
That project stalled, which is why you haven't heard much more about it. I couldn't make the idea work in a way that I wanted it to, if you know what I mean.
I'm having trouble with my writing at the minute. Yesterday I read through a few of my poems that I wrote last year, and they were (if you don't mind me saying) pretty damn good. And I very rarely feel that way about a piece of fiction that I write. Definitely not a piece of extended fiction. So: I feel like my poetry is of a better standard than my fiction. But the thing is, I don't want to write poetry.
There was a time when I really wanted to write poems. I wanted to publish a collection (only ever one collection, mind). I wanted to write poem after poem, and I did, for a while. Now though - by which I mean in the past six months or so - I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to write poems. None at all. And no poetic thoughts or inspiration. It's strange. But I'm happy this way.
What I really want to do is write a novel. So I'm trying again. The idea mentioned in that earlier post has been... re-worked, let's put it that way. There were mermaids in it, and now all the mermaids are gone and now it's just people. There has been vague planning and structuring, and I'm busy playing around with the narrative perspectives and such like. I have a prologue that I'm happy to work with for now. I just need to get my teeth into the main body of it all, don't I.
So, in the words of a certain sports brand: Just Do It.
That project stalled, which is why you haven't heard much more about it. I couldn't make the idea work in a way that I wanted it to, if you know what I mean.
I'm having trouble with my writing at the minute. Yesterday I read through a few of my poems that I wrote last year, and they were (if you don't mind me saying) pretty damn good. And I very rarely feel that way about a piece of fiction that I write. Definitely not a piece of extended fiction. So: I feel like my poetry is of a better standard than my fiction. But the thing is, I don't want to write poetry.
There was a time when I really wanted to write poems. I wanted to publish a collection (only ever one collection, mind). I wanted to write poem after poem, and I did, for a while. Now though - by which I mean in the past six months or so - I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to write poems. None at all. And no poetic thoughts or inspiration. It's strange. But I'm happy this way.
What I really want to do is write a novel. So I'm trying again. The idea mentioned in that earlier post has been... re-worked, let's put it that way. There were mermaids in it, and now all the mermaids are gone and now it's just people. There has been vague planning and structuring, and I'm busy playing around with the narrative perspectives and such like. I have a prologue that I'm happy to work with for now. I just need to get my teeth into the main body of it all, don't I.
So, in the words of a certain sports brand: Just Do It.
Saturday 16 July 2011
Unread books
I have this annoying habit where I buy books and then don't read them. Some of the time I don't even want the book in question, I just pick it up because it's on offer, or I need to complete an offer (Waterstone's 3 for 2, anyone?), so I just buy the book for the sake of it. And it sits there on my shelf, looking longingly at me every time I'm looking for a new book to read, saying "pick me! Pick me!" like we're on some sort of school sports team and I'm the captain. Anyway. I buy the books and they take up space on my shelves and I don't really want them but am never able to give them to charity or anything because I've not read them yet and I'd feel too cruel.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've put together a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and one of the items on that list is to read all the unread books on my shelf. I'm going to make a list of them here so I can keep track, and maybe you guys can recommend what I should read first? Or second, or third, or... twenty-fifth? Ha. I don't know how many there are, but let's get started:
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've put together a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and one of the items on that list is to read all the unread books on my shelf. I'm going to make a list of them here so I can keep track, and maybe you guys can recommend what I should read first? Or second, or third, or... twenty-fifth? Ha. I don't know how many there are, but let's get started:
- Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
- Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
- Persuasion - Jane Austen
- Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
- Babel Tower - A.S. Byatt
- Women - Charles Bukowski (half read, never finished)
- Life of Pi - Yann Martel (started, never finished)
- The Periodic Table - Primo Levi
- Complete Short Fiction - Oscar Wilde
- One Flew over the Cukoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
- Paradise Lost - John Milton
- The Divine Comedy - Dante (read 'Inferno', but not the other two parts)
- Marley and Me - John Grogan
- Just Kids - Patti Smith
- A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
- Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K. Jerome
- Modern Baptists - James Wilcox
- SCOOP - Evelyn Waugh
- Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman - E.W. Hornung
- The Diary of a Nobody - George and Weedon Grossmith
- Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
- Mapp and Lucia - E.F Benson
- Lucky Jim - Kingsley Amis
- One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- Casino Royale - Ian Fleming
- The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov (started but never finished)
- Go Tell it on the Mountain - James Baldwin
- Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie
- Treasure Island - Daniel Defoe
- Robinson Crusoe - Robert Louis Stevenson
- Ulysses - James Joyce
- The Long Song - Andrea Levy
- Songs of the Humpback Whale - Jodi Picoult
Then there's a large selection of poetry books that I dip in and out of occasionally, so I won't list them. So in total I own 33 books (excluding poetry collections) that I've never read. Oops. At least they'll contribute to my reading goals etc...
Wow. Now I've made this list I feel bad about even considering buying new books. I would say I won't buy any more until I've read everything on this list, but I shouldn't make promises I won't keep!
Thursday 14 July 2011
Thoughts on getting into publishing
If you read this post from a few weeks ago, you'll already know that I had my first ever interview for a "real job" in the publishing industry. Unfortunately, nothing came from it; I was emailed about a week after the interview and told that I wouldn't be called back for a second interview. I was also told that they received over 400 applications, so on reflection I think I did pretty well to even get that first interview!
Since then I've applied for a few more jobs, and am waiting to hear back. It's giving me plenty of time to think about that interview and what I can learn from it. I've also been reading the recent Q&A hosted by the Guardian Careers website called 'Getting into Publishing' which you can read here, if you haven't already. What is clear both from that discussion, and my experience in the interview, is just how important it is to show enthusiasm and dedication to the industry. Basically, a degree is good, as is relevant work experience in the industry, but you need to go further than that.
In my interview they were very keen to ask me about the online magazine that I run. They'd even taken the time to have a quick look at the website, and told me that it was impressive to see the magazine still running after three years. Something that I initially set up as a hobby, almost, is now showing itself to be a real asset now that I'm looking for a job. It shows that I've got the enthusiasm and dedication to make something work.
I'm also thinking of taking a basic proofreading course, maybe through the PTC, if I can find the money. It's expensive, but I've got the time on my hands at the moment, and it's something else that will show willing, as it were.
If you're in a similar position, I'd love to hear from you. Or even better, if you've been in my position and since got a publishing job. Any extra information would be greatly appreciated!
Since then I've applied for a few more jobs, and am waiting to hear back. It's giving me plenty of time to think about that interview and what I can learn from it. I've also been reading the recent Q&A hosted by the Guardian Careers website called 'Getting into Publishing' which you can read here, if you haven't already. What is clear both from that discussion, and my experience in the interview, is just how important it is to show enthusiasm and dedication to the industry. Basically, a degree is good, as is relevant work experience in the industry, but you need to go further than that.
In my interview they were very keen to ask me about the online magazine that I run. They'd even taken the time to have a quick look at the website, and told me that it was impressive to see the magazine still running after three years. Something that I initially set up as a hobby, almost, is now showing itself to be a real asset now that I'm looking for a job. It shows that I've got the enthusiasm and dedication to make something work.
I'm also thinking of taking a basic proofreading course, maybe through the PTC, if I can find the money. It's expensive, but I've got the time on my hands at the moment, and it's something else that will show willing, as it were.
If you're in a similar position, I'd love to hear from you. Or even better, if you've been in my position and since got a publishing job. Any extra information would be greatly appreciated!
Wednesday 13 July 2011
Cleaning off the cyber-dust
Oh dear. I'm not very good at keeping track of things.
As you may already know, I run an online magazine called Sparkbright. It publishes every six months, in June and December. Since putting out our sixth issue back in June, I've done absolutely nothing towards the upkeep of the site (so, 650-odd spam comments to get rid of...), the twitter site, the blog... nothing. So I should probably get back on that!
I'm trying to be more organised in general, and actually keep track of what's going on with regards to my internet activity. That includes: this blog; the Sparkbright website; the Sparkbright blog (on the site); the Sparkbright twitter account; my personal twitter account; the Sparkbright facebook page; my facebook page and several email accounts.
I'm going to try and post here at least once a week, so you can look forward (er, maybe) to seeing a bit more of me round here. And I really do need to do some work for Sparkbright.
This 'trying to be organised' thing is all part of my day zero project: 101 goals in 1001 days. My list is here, if you're interested, but I'll be back soon enough to tell you more about it.
Ciao for now!
As you may already know, I run an online magazine called Sparkbright. It publishes every six months, in June and December. Since putting out our sixth issue back in June, I've done absolutely nothing towards the upkeep of the site (so, 650-odd spam comments to get rid of...), the twitter site, the blog... nothing. So I should probably get back on that!
I'm trying to be more organised in general, and actually keep track of what's going on with regards to my internet activity. That includes: this blog; the Sparkbright website; the Sparkbright blog (on the site); the Sparkbright twitter account; my personal twitter account; the Sparkbright facebook page; my facebook page and several email accounts.
I'm going to try and post here at least once a week, so you can look forward (er, maybe) to seeing a bit more of me round here. And I really do need to do some work for Sparkbright.
This 'trying to be organised' thing is all part of my day zero project: 101 goals in 1001 days. My list is here, if you're interested, but I'll be back soon enough to tell you more about it.
Ciao for now!
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Book habits
I'm sure everyone has some strange book-related habits, so I thought I'd share a few of mine.
I've recently started buying books second hand from charity shops. Normally I like my books to be new so I can make them mine. But there is a certain kind of pleasure from rescuing a book left on the shelf of a charity shop and giving it a new home. My most recent purchases (THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE) were both charity shop buys, and cost me the grand total of £3.50 for both - two books for roughly half the full RRP of one. So that was also pretty satisfying, given my current lack of income...
But going back to books left on shelves. If I'm ever in a bookshop where I see one of my favourite books (or worse, a charity shop where someone has given away one of my favourite books), I always have to fight the urge to buy another copy and give it a good home. For example: when I was buying THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE the other day, I also saw a copy of NORWEGIAN WOOD on the shelves (film cover, bleugh), which is one of my favourite books EVER, and I really wanted to buy this copy of N.W. just because it made me sad that it wasn't wanted. But I didn't buy it, and clearly I can't start doing so, because otherwise I'll end up with tens of copies of certain books that I really love.
I also have an annoying habit of buying books that I don't really want. I've got a couple of books that I've moved over to the flat as sort of 'back-up' reads. My books aren't over there yet because I've not moved in, so they're with me in my parents' house, but there's always the risk that I'll be over at the flat for a while on my own (daytime while boyfriend's at work) and I'll run out of something to read. So I have these books there because I know I won't actively choose to read them when faced with other options. I should just give them to charity, but who knows. Maybe one day.
And then, of course, there's those books you mean to read and don't get round to. For me at the minute it's ULYSSES. I got a cheap copy last summer and have been meaning to read it for ages (even before I bought it), but am put off by its length and difficulty. However, I have progressed to the stage where I've got it down from my shelves and it's now living by my bed, so maybe soon I'll take the plunge...
Also, I always fold down page corners rather than using bookmarks. Sorry.
What are your strange book habits? And should I bother reading ULYSSES, after all?
I've recently started buying books second hand from charity shops. Normally I like my books to be new so I can make them mine. But there is a certain kind of pleasure from rescuing a book left on the shelf of a charity shop and giving it a new home. My most recent purchases (THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE) were both charity shop buys, and cost me the grand total of £3.50 for both - two books for roughly half the full RRP of one. So that was also pretty satisfying, given my current lack of income...
But going back to books left on shelves. If I'm ever in a bookshop where I see one of my favourite books (or worse, a charity shop where someone has given away one of my favourite books), I always have to fight the urge to buy another copy and give it a good home. For example: when I was buying THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE the other day, I also saw a copy of NORWEGIAN WOOD on the shelves (film cover, bleugh), which is one of my favourite books EVER, and I really wanted to buy this copy of N.W. just because it made me sad that it wasn't wanted. But I didn't buy it, and clearly I can't start doing so, because otherwise I'll end up with tens of copies of certain books that I really love.
I also have an annoying habit of buying books that I don't really want. I've got a couple of books that I've moved over to the flat as sort of 'back-up' reads. My books aren't over there yet because I've not moved in, so they're with me in my parents' house, but there's always the risk that I'll be over at the flat for a while on my own (daytime while boyfriend's at work) and I'll run out of something to read. So I have these books there because I know I won't actively choose to read them when faced with other options. I should just give them to charity, but who knows. Maybe one day.
And then, of course, there's those books you mean to read and don't get round to. For me at the minute it's ULYSSES. I got a cheap copy last summer and have been meaning to read it for ages (even before I bought it), but am put off by its length and difficulty. However, I have progressed to the stage where I've got it down from my shelves and it's now living by my bed, so maybe soon I'll take the plunge...
Also, I always fold down page corners rather than using bookmarks. Sorry.
What are your strange book habits? And should I bother reading ULYSSES, after all?
Thursday 30 June 2011
Post-interview thoughts.
I had my first Real Job Interview on Tuesday, for an Editorial Assistant position in a London-based publishing company. I wanted to put down some thoughts about the process and how I think it went.
Before the interview I'd been sent a copy of their latest catalogue to have a look through, which was very interesting and stylistically similar to something I'd worked on in a previous internship, which I found encouraging and made the whole thing seem slightly less scary. I emailed a couple of people I've recently worked with asking for advice, and had spent a lot of time on Google and reading The Bookseller looking for recent news on the company etc.
I feel like I prepared as well as I could have. As it was, they interviewed me for about 45 minutes, including a proof-reading test. While I was talking to them, they seemed very positive, and even though I asked a couple of, er, difficult questions regarding the state of the market and the state of the company they were very honest with me throughout. I left with a good idea of what the job would (realistically) entail and the nature of the company. I also left feeling that I had given a good account of myself. Of course, I also left with lots of self-doubt: was I enthusiastic enough/too nervous/ too inquisitive/ too shy/ too modest etc. etc.
(And when I say I left with lots of self-doubt I mean that I left with enough doubt to reduce me to tears later that evening which probably puzzled my boyfriend quite a lot, especially when I'd already told him that I thought the interview had gone pretty well.)
But enough of that. Overall, I felt that the interview went reasonably well. I couldn't have prepared any better than I did, but I think that I need to learn to control my nerves so that I can be enthusiastic about what I'm talking about, rather than terrified. With regards to the job, I know that I would be good at it. I know it won't pay so well, but it's something I really want to do, and with a company that had a very nice feel to it. I desperately want this job, but at the moment I have to wait to hear if they want me back for a second interview.
I'm keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed. I guess I just have to wait and see.
Before the interview I'd been sent a copy of their latest catalogue to have a look through, which was very interesting and stylistically similar to something I'd worked on in a previous internship, which I found encouraging and made the whole thing seem slightly less scary. I emailed a couple of people I've recently worked with asking for advice, and had spent a lot of time on Google and reading The Bookseller looking for recent news on the company etc.
I feel like I prepared as well as I could have. As it was, they interviewed me for about 45 minutes, including a proof-reading test. While I was talking to them, they seemed very positive, and even though I asked a couple of, er, difficult questions regarding the state of the market and the state of the company they were very honest with me throughout. I left with a good idea of what the job would (realistically) entail and the nature of the company. I also left feeling that I had given a good account of myself. Of course, I also left with lots of self-doubt: was I enthusiastic enough/too nervous/ too inquisitive/ too shy/ too modest etc. etc.
(And when I say I left with lots of self-doubt I mean that I left with enough doubt to reduce me to tears later that evening which probably puzzled my boyfriend quite a lot, especially when I'd already told him that I thought the interview had gone pretty well.)
But enough of that. Overall, I felt that the interview went reasonably well. I couldn't have prepared any better than I did, but I think that I need to learn to control my nerves so that I can be enthusiastic about what I'm talking about, rather than terrified. With regards to the job, I know that I would be good at it. I know it won't pay so well, but it's something I really want to do, and with a company that had a very nice feel to it. I desperately want this job, but at the moment I have to wait to hear if they want me back for a second interview.
I'm keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed. I guess I just have to wait and see.
Saturday 25 June 2011
Scrapbooking
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the most artistic person in the world. I think the artistic gene skipped me and went straight to my sister. I'm creative, sure, but it's words rather than colours or pictures or... anything like that.
So I know my scrapbook isn't the prettiest in the world, but it's very therapeutic and it's something I'm really enjoying at the minute. For years I've kept a "memory box", if you like, full of random souvenirs and random things that mean stuff to me. I've got important things like the funeral orders of service from my grandparents' funerals (x3), I've got things from ex-boyfriends, birthday and Christmas cards, tickets to sports events, music events, theatre events etc... Photos, tickets to university nights out, random photos and wristbands... Lots of random stuff, anyway.
And it was getting a bit cluttered. I'd been given this gorgeous scrapbook several years ago (I can't even remember who gave it to me now!) and hadn't even touched it. So I figured, with all this time on my hands, and with everything from high school and university all finished now, this would be a good time to start work on this.
I'm pretty pleased with it so far, although my memory box still seems to be as full as ever. Oops! If you're interested (and even if you're not!) here's a couple of pages I particularly like so far...
I was due to go with my boyfriend, James. We split up, and he gave my ticket to his new girlfriend. Fortunately my friend Alison (top corner) knew someone with some spare tickets, so we went with Leanne and had fab seats (much better than if I'd gone with James, which was even better!). It turns out that the person who gave Alison the tickets was my current boyfriend, Ollie, who went (I think) with his then-girlfriend. How strange! And how strange that our paths didn't cross then!
So I know my scrapbook isn't the prettiest in the world, but it's very therapeutic and it's something I'm really enjoying at the minute. For years I've kept a "memory box", if you like, full of random souvenirs and random things that mean stuff to me. I've got important things like the funeral orders of service from my grandparents' funerals (x3), I've got things from ex-boyfriends, birthday and Christmas cards, tickets to sports events, music events, theatre events etc... Photos, tickets to university nights out, random photos and wristbands... Lots of random stuff, anyway.
And it was getting a bit cluttered. I'd been given this gorgeous scrapbook several years ago (I can't even remember who gave it to me now!) and hadn't even touched it. So I figured, with all this time on my hands, and with everything from high school and university all finished now, this would be a good time to start work on this.
I'm pretty pleased with it so far, although my memory box still seems to be as full as ever. Oops! If you're interested (and even if you're not!) here's a couple of pages I particularly like so far...
Some bits from a family holiday to South Africa in 2005/2007. Probably bits from both - I can't really work out what's from when. That's me and my sister in the bottom photo. She's 18 now, all grown up!
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These are from a school cruise in 2004. We went to Greece, Egypt and Turkey, and it was an amazing trip. The photo in the top corner is of Leanne, my best friend from school who I don't see nearly enough these days because we both moved away to study, and now she's planning to live where she studied, which makes me sad. She's still wonderful though, I love her lots!
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And this is from when I went to see Muse play at Wembley - twice. Once in 2007 and once in 2010. Amazing both times! There's a bit of a story behind my 2007 trip, so if you'll indulge me a moment more, I'll share it with you:
I was due to go with my boyfriend, James. We split up, and he gave my ticket to his new girlfriend. Fortunately my friend Alison (top corner) knew someone with some spare tickets, so we went with Leanne and had fab seats (much better than if I'd gone with James, which was even better!). It turns out that the person who gave Alison the tickets was my current boyfriend, Ollie, who went (I think) with his then-girlfriend. How strange! And how strange that our paths didn't cross then!
Anyway. Enough chat from me - I've got some serious scrapbooking to do this evening!
Monday 20 June 2011
What a difference a day makes!
When I woke up this morning I was all ready to write a blog for you about the changing nature of my job-hunt. I was getting to the point where I was sure I wouldn't be ending up in a publishing-related job this time, and had already been expanding my job search to include more local jobs, admin or receptionist type work as I've got plenty of experience.
This is still very much the case. But then mid-afternoon I had a response for a job I applied for about a month ago, and had almost assumed a rejection. Instead I was invited to the "first round" of interviews, which immediately made me very excited and very nervous. This is the first interview for a "real job" that I've had since leaving university. And while I've had job interviews before, they've all been for short-term/temporary positions, rather than a full-time, permanent vacancy like the one I'm going for now.
And while I'm being very realistic (or, if you prefer, pessimistic) here and thinking that I'll be up against a lot of excellent candidates, and that it's very unlikely I'll get the first job I interview for, it has done my confidence and enthusiasm a world of good.
If you've been job-hunting for a while (I'm up to a few months now, though in that time I have been busy doing work experience placements), and you've repeatedly failed to even get to interview stage, you'll know how disheartening it can become. So even if I don't get this job, this will all be worth it for helping to boost my enthusiasm for the whole job-hunting process once again.
So. I'm busy trying to balance optimism with realism and excitement with nerves, and the interview isn't until next Tuesday.
If anyone's got any super interview advice and/or tips, I'd love to hear them! And in the meantime, I'll be going preparation-crazy in the next few days.
This is still very much the case. But then mid-afternoon I had a response for a job I applied for about a month ago, and had almost assumed a rejection. Instead I was invited to the "first round" of interviews, which immediately made me very excited and very nervous. This is the first interview for a "real job" that I've had since leaving university. And while I've had job interviews before, they've all been for short-term/temporary positions, rather than a full-time, permanent vacancy like the one I'm going for now.
And while I'm being very realistic (or, if you prefer, pessimistic) here and thinking that I'll be up against a lot of excellent candidates, and that it's very unlikely I'll get the first job I interview for, it has done my confidence and enthusiasm a world of good.
If you've been job-hunting for a while (I'm up to a few months now, though in that time I have been busy doing work experience placements), and you've repeatedly failed to even get to interview stage, you'll know how disheartening it can become. So even if I don't get this job, this will all be worth it for helping to boost my enthusiasm for the whole job-hunting process once again.
So. I'm busy trying to balance optimism with realism and excitement with nerves, and the interview isn't until next Tuesday.
If anyone's got any super interview advice and/or tips, I'd love to hear them! And in the meantime, I'll be going preparation-crazy in the next few days.
Monday 13 June 2011
No more internships!
Last Friday I finished up at what is my last publishing-related internship that I have planned for the near future. While I love the industry, I can't afford to keep doing all this unpaid work with no guarantees of a job at the end of it.
I completed two weeks at a Camden-based literary agency. I signed a confidentiality agreement on my first day, so I won't name them, and I won't tell you much about what I did there. However, I will tell you that I was slightly disappointed. I'd heard good things about them, but once I was there I became more or less a glorified receptionist. The way it was meant to work was that they'd have two interns at one time (which they did) and the two interns would alternate days providing reception cover. For some reason this never happened, so for two weeks I was there as a receptionist first, and then doing odd bits of reading and writing reports when I could grab some spare time between phone calls and dealing with the post etc.
So that was unfortunate. But most of the people there were very lovely, and I did get to read a couple of fabulous manuscripts that I need to make a note of. One was the first book in a longer series, and of course I now want to know what happens in the rest of the series, so I'll have to keep an eye out over the next couple of years, I guess...
But now I'm finished with internships, and I don't really know what to do. I've got about four months worth of experience in total, and am keen to find a full-time job, but there aren't many out there at the minute and so I'm back home looking for other work. We'll see what happens. I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple of jobs in the industry, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. And if nothing happens there I'll have to find myself something else to be doing in the meantime, and also keep my eyes on the industry so I know if/when the vacancies open up.
Lots to think about. My brain is currently very scared by the big expanse of time that's opening up in front of me, with nothing to fill it.
Hmm. Something will turn up.
I completed two weeks at a Camden-based literary agency. I signed a confidentiality agreement on my first day, so I won't name them, and I won't tell you much about what I did there. However, I will tell you that I was slightly disappointed. I'd heard good things about them, but once I was there I became more or less a glorified receptionist. The way it was meant to work was that they'd have two interns at one time (which they did) and the two interns would alternate days providing reception cover. For some reason this never happened, so for two weeks I was there as a receptionist first, and then doing odd bits of reading and writing reports when I could grab some spare time between phone calls and dealing with the post etc.
So that was unfortunate. But most of the people there were very lovely, and I did get to read a couple of fabulous manuscripts that I need to make a note of. One was the first book in a longer series, and of course I now want to know what happens in the rest of the series, so I'll have to keep an eye out over the next couple of years, I guess...
But now I'm finished with internships, and I don't really know what to do. I've got about four months worth of experience in total, and am keen to find a full-time job, but there aren't many out there at the minute and so I'm back home looking for other work. We'll see what happens. I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple of jobs in the industry, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. And if nothing happens there I'll have to find myself something else to be doing in the meantime, and also keep my eyes on the industry so I know if/when the vacancies open up.
Lots to think about. My brain is currently very scared by the big expanse of time that's opening up in front of me, with nothing to fill it.
Hmm. Something will turn up.
Monday 30 May 2011
Johnson & Alcock
Yes, this is another internship-related post. I was actually at Johnson & Alcock a couple of weeks ago, right at the start of the month, but I've been a bit quiet on all fronts lately and forgot to do any kind of follow-up post.
I was there for two weeks, in their offices in Clerkenwell Green, London. I'd actually worked in the same building with another literary agency last summer, so it was nice to know the commute and the area (and the Krispy Kreme doughnut stand in the Tesco at the end of the road!) before I started. This was another unpaid position, though they did make a contribution of £10/day towards travel expenses.
Johnson & Alcock is the smallest company I've done any work experience with. I've had the opportunity to work in a small team before, during my time at Oxford University Press, but obviously it's very different working in a small team that's part of a much larger organisation, to working in a very small team. There were six members of staff at J&A, one of whom only worked half the week. The office had a very nice feel to it and you could tell that everyone got on well with each other, making for a very pleasant work place to go into.
The majority of my time was spent reading unsolicited manuscripts, sending out rejections and passing things I thought were good onto the agents. I also got to read something that one of the agents was considering, and provided her with a report on it giving my thoughts. I helped sort out some rights reversions, and wrote a couple of pieces to go on their website, which provided a nice break from the reading!
One of the best things, though, was that I got to sit down and properly read through a contract, and then I had a short, sit-down meeting with one of the agents where I had the opportunity to ask about anything I didn't understand. It was a very valuable morning, and gave me a much better insight into how a literary agency functions at the business end. We also had a chat about e-books, from which I came to realise that actually, no-one really has a clue about what they mean for the future of the industry..!
So while this placement involved doing lots of things I'd done before, it also gave me lots of new opportunities. I really enjoyed my time at J&A; the staff were friendly and welcoming, and I was sad to leave after only two weeks.
A big thank you to everyone at J&A - it was wonderful to have the chance to work with you, and hopefully our paths will cross again in the not-too-distant future.
I was there for two weeks, in their offices in Clerkenwell Green, London. I'd actually worked in the same building with another literary agency last summer, so it was nice to know the commute and the area (and the Krispy Kreme doughnut stand in the Tesco at the end of the road!) before I started. This was another unpaid position, though they did make a contribution of £10/day towards travel expenses.
Johnson & Alcock is the smallest company I've done any work experience with. I've had the opportunity to work in a small team before, during my time at Oxford University Press, but obviously it's very different working in a small team that's part of a much larger organisation, to working in a very small team. There were six members of staff at J&A, one of whom only worked half the week. The office had a very nice feel to it and you could tell that everyone got on well with each other, making for a very pleasant work place to go into.
The majority of my time was spent reading unsolicited manuscripts, sending out rejections and passing things I thought were good onto the agents. I also got to read something that one of the agents was considering, and provided her with a report on it giving my thoughts. I helped sort out some rights reversions, and wrote a couple of pieces to go on their website, which provided a nice break from the reading!
One of the best things, though, was that I got to sit down and properly read through a contract, and then I had a short, sit-down meeting with one of the agents where I had the opportunity to ask about anything I didn't understand. It was a very valuable morning, and gave me a much better insight into how a literary agency functions at the business end. We also had a chat about e-books, from which I came to realise that actually, no-one really has a clue about what they mean for the future of the industry..!
So while this placement involved doing lots of things I'd done before, it also gave me lots of new opportunities. I really enjoyed my time at J&A; the staff were friendly and welcoming, and I was sad to leave after only two weeks.
A big thank you to everyone at J&A - it was wonderful to have the chance to work with you, and hopefully our paths will cross again in the not-too-distant future.
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Creativity: in which I'm writing a novel.
The title says it all, really.
In the last few years I've written mainly poetry. I wrote a lot of fiction in my earlier teens, even into mid-teens when I got 80% through a long novel that I wrote over a couple of years, and then scrapped completely. I've never had much luck with longer creative projects. But I'm hoping that'll change.
I haven't written any poetry since the turn of the year. Nor, strangely, do I have any desire to, at present. None at all. Not even a lingering thought at the very back of my mind. Right now, I would be perfectly content never to write a single poem again. I find this strange, but not as disturbing or upsetting as I would have done in the past. Possibly because my creativity seems to have migrated over to fiction.
This might be because I've been reading a lot of fiction in the last few months, both published books and manuscripts at various work placements. Or it might just be because I've found an idea that I really want to run with. Either way, I'm currently writing a novel.
It's been in the planning stages for a little while. I've worked out an outline and written the prologue, and am currently taking that first big step into Chapter One. I'm reasonably happy with the prologue as it is - I started with a good idea of what I wanted those 1000 words or so to say. The first chapter is proving a little more difficult. I've had an interesting idea that I want to introduce as it would explain a lot of things that I want to bring in later in the plot, but I can't quite seem to get it right.
Possibly because there has been a house full of screaming girls (my sister's school friends) this afternoon when I've been trying to write. But who knows. With some peace and quiet now I might have another go.
Either way, I'm writing. And I just wanted to share this fact with someone because I'm excited about it!
Wish me luck!
In the last few years I've written mainly poetry. I wrote a lot of fiction in my earlier teens, even into mid-teens when I got 80% through a long novel that I wrote over a couple of years, and then scrapped completely. I've never had much luck with longer creative projects. But I'm hoping that'll change.
I haven't written any poetry since the turn of the year. Nor, strangely, do I have any desire to, at present. None at all. Not even a lingering thought at the very back of my mind. Right now, I would be perfectly content never to write a single poem again. I find this strange, but not as disturbing or upsetting as I would have done in the past. Possibly because my creativity seems to have migrated over to fiction.
This might be because I've been reading a lot of fiction in the last few months, both published books and manuscripts at various work placements. Or it might just be because I've found an idea that I really want to run with. Either way, I'm currently writing a novel.
It's been in the planning stages for a little while. I've worked out an outline and written the prologue, and am currently taking that first big step into Chapter One. I'm reasonably happy with the prologue as it is - I started with a good idea of what I wanted those 1000 words or so to say. The first chapter is proving a little more difficult. I've had an interesting idea that I want to introduce as it would explain a lot of things that I want to bring in later in the plot, but I can't quite seem to get it right.
Possibly because there has been a house full of screaming girls (my sister's school friends) this afternoon when I've been trying to write. But who knows. With some peace and quiet now I might have another go.
Either way, I'm writing. And I just wanted to share this fact with someone because I'm excited about it!
Wish me luck!
Sunday 1 May 2011
Reading in Review
Gosh. Welcome to May, everyone! A third of the year has been and gone, and it seems like as good a time as ever for me to take a quick look back at what I've read so far this year. If you've not already seen, I keep a list of (new) books I've read here. My goal for the year is 50 new books (not counting re-reads or things I don't finish).
Despite an awful April, when I only read two books, my year's total so far is 19. A pretty good start, but not as good as last year (or so my trusty notebook tells me). Between January and April last year I read 25 books, but that was also when I was taking a class on Shakespeare, so that includes seven of his plays.
Some general thoughts, then. This year has seen my love for Margaret Atwood's writing grow; I've read a couple of her novels this year and they've been some of my favourites. I also absolutely LOVED the HUNGER GAMES trilogy that I read at the beginning of March. And I was thrilled to read the conclusion of the EARTH'S CHILDREN series (The Land of Painted Caves) at the end of March. I read a handful of the Orange Prize longlisted books - favourites include THE SEAS and REPEAT IT TODAY WITH TEARS, which was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful (and disturbing) that it made me cry.
I was just trying to think of what has been my least favourite book I've read this year. I was underwhelmed by ANIMAL FARM, but I'm glad I read it because now I don't have to just pretend. Other than that, THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET IN HEAVEN didn't please me as much as the other books I've read. It was very different, and a great idea, but I didn't fall in love with it the way I've fallen in love with most of the other books on that list.
All in all, I'd say I've had a pretty good book-year so far. And all this talk about books is making me want to go and read something. I'm not sure what, though, because I'm running out of books. (Ha. That's a lie. But I'm running out of books I want to read.)
So I'm off to sit in front of my bookshelves for a while until I figure something out.
Ciao!
Despite an awful April, when I only read two books, my year's total so far is 19. A pretty good start, but not as good as last year (or so my trusty notebook tells me). Between January and April last year I read 25 books, but that was also when I was taking a class on Shakespeare, so that includes seven of his plays.
Some general thoughts, then. This year has seen my love for Margaret Atwood's writing grow; I've read a couple of her novels this year and they've been some of my favourites. I also absolutely LOVED the HUNGER GAMES trilogy that I read at the beginning of March. And I was thrilled to read the conclusion of the EARTH'S CHILDREN series (The Land of Painted Caves) at the end of March. I read a handful of the Orange Prize longlisted books - favourites include THE SEAS and REPEAT IT TODAY WITH TEARS, which was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful (and disturbing) that it made me cry.
I was just trying to think of what has been my least favourite book I've read this year. I was underwhelmed by ANIMAL FARM, but I'm glad I read it because now I don't have to just pretend. Other than that, THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET IN HEAVEN didn't please me as much as the other books I've read. It was very different, and a great idea, but I didn't fall in love with it the way I've fallen in love with most of the other books on that list.
All in all, I'd say I've had a pretty good book-year so far. And all this talk about books is making me want to go and read something. I'm not sure what, though, because I'm running out of books. (Ha. That's a lie. But I'm running out of books I want to read.)
So I'm off to sit in front of my bookshelves for a while until I figure something out.
Ciao!
Flat-hunting
This is quite an exciting (terrifying) time for me, all things considered. I have (unofficially) completed my university education, pending graduation in July. I am currently seeking full-time work in the publishing industry, preferably London-based, preferably an Agent's Assistant position. And if all that wasn't enough, my boyfriend and I are planning on moving in together.
I'm not sure when we first discussed it, but it's something that's become more and more likely as the months have gone on. It'll be a big change - while I was at university in Norwich, he has been doing his final year of study in Bath. And right after our relationship started a couple of years ago, he moved to London on a placement year. Closer than Bath, but a two-hour train ride between us still made things tough...
But we've talked about it a lot. And we've recently been looking at flats, which makes the whole thing all the more real/exciting/scary. We might have found the one we want, though, after all of this. Well, actually we found two, but one of them was just... in the wrong place. We'll see. As it is, of course, my boyfriend will be living there on his own for a while, because I'm unemployed and don't want him paying for me to live there.
But it's exciting to know that even if my job-hunt has ground to an unsuccessful halt because I've not found any jobs to apply for in the last couple of weeks, at least my search for somewhere else to live is going better. Who knows: maybe this means things will start turning around for me.
I'm feeling good. I'm feeling like pretty soon something will turn up, job-wise, and I'll be able start on this whole new chapter in my life.
Fingers crossed.
I'm not sure when we first discussed it, but it's something that's become more and more likely as the months have gone on. It'll be a big change - while I was at university in Norwich, he has been doing his final year of study in Bath. And right after our relationship started a couple of years ago, he moved to London on a placement year. Closer than Bath, but a two-hour train ride between us still made things tough...
But we've talked about it a lot. And we've recently been looking at flats, which makes the whole thing all the more real/exciting/scary. We might have found the one we want, though, after all of this. Well, actually we found two, but one of them was just... in the wrong place. We'll see. As it is, of course, my boyfriend will be living there on his own for a while, because I'm unemployed and don't want him paying for me to live there.
But it's exciting to know that even if my job-hunt has ground to an unsuccessful halt because I've not found any jobs to apply for in the last couple of weeks, at least my search for somewhere else to live is going better. Who knows: maybe this means things will start turning around for me.
I'm feeling good. I'm feeling like pretty soon something will turn up, job-wise, and I'll be able start on this whole new chapter in my life.
Fingers crossed.
Thursday 28 April 2011
Conville & Walsh
Last week I completed a two-week internship with the above-named literary agency, based in Soho, London. It was a short placement, unpaid [for details on the debate regarding unpaid placements with a particular focus on the publishing industry, see here], and very different from previous placements I'd done in the industry.
First, a little background on what I've done:
First, a little background on what I've done:
- A one week placement at A.P. Watt - mainly admin work. Interesting first insight into the industry, made me realise this is the area I wanted to work in.
- A six week placement at Andrew Nurnberg Associates. A long placement with a varied, interesting workload. Well-organised and informative, supportive staff members during a difficult period of my personal life.
- A four week placement at Oxford University Press. Great fun, came into the team at a critical time in their year, when they had a staff shortage for various reasons, so got to do lots of hands-on stuff and get heavily involved in various projects.
Now that's out of the way, some thoughts on this latest two-week placement.
I started at C&W the week of the London Book Fair. This meant that for the first three days of my placement there were only two of us in the main office (plus the lovely finance guy but he was two floors up...). It was a very quiet few days filled with bizarre tasks - making party bags and buying olives, for example. But it gave me a chance to get to know the office, work out the postal system and where everything went, and I had the fantastic opportunity one evening to attend a party for S.J. Watson, author of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (released today).
If I'm honest, the party was one of the highlights of the placement. It gave me the chance to chat to previous interns (all of whom gave very positive comments regarding C&W), to other people in the industry, and it let me see a side of the job that I'd not had a chance to before. While I realise things like that won't be happening every day, it was certainly interesting to see that things like that go on, and how they tend to work.
Parties and merriment aside, I also spent a lot of time reading unsolicited manuscripts. There was one I read that I really liked (it was about clowns...), that wasn't right for the agent who had it, but I persuaded her not to disregard it completely and it was then passed over to another agent. I don't know what has become of it, but I was pleased that my opinions were valued.
I was able to get involved with some of the follow-up from the LBF, too. Lots of putting notes onto the computer system, complete with a crash-course in how NOT to make notes. Tip: make them legible! And then in my last couple of days I got to do some editorial work - one of the agents has a book coming out, and I was responsible for making the edits on the document in question. Again, a crash-course in handwriting translation.
In comparison to others I've done, it felt very short, particularly as my second week was only four days, due to it leading up to the Easter weekend. It was also completely unpaid, with no contribution at all made towards travel expenses. I was also irritated by the fact that, as they have an intern in every week of the year, they use them as a receptionist, managing the switchboard as appropriate. Perhaps it was just that I was used to larger agencies that had their own receptionist. But at the time I felt that they were taking the 'unpaid work experience' thing a little too far.
Minor qualms, anyway. Ultimately I enjoyed the placement, and was glad to be back in that environment, involved with the industry again. It re-enforced my desire to find a permanent job in the publishing industry, and everyone I spoke to there said I was going about it the right way. I guess I just have to keep my fingers crossed, and my eyes open.
To finish, I should say a big thank you to Conville & Walsh. They were great to work with, if only for a couple of weeks.
300!
It's been a while. I more-or-less fell off the face of the planet, into a deep, dark void comprising mainly of an essay about "Poetry after Modernism", a faltering job-hunt, and the beginnings of a flat-hunt with my boyfriend.
But the good news is that I'm back. (And that my essay is nearly finished, but you don't want to hear about that.) Yesterday I had my 300th blog-view, or whatever you want to call it. So that's pretty sweet, considering I've not been around much.
I have lots of updates for you. Not least the fact that I have just finished reading ANIMAL FARM, which was one of those books that I'd always pretended to have read, because I knew the gist of what it was about, and could never be bothered to read it. And now I actually have. I haven't read much else recently though, guess I've been busy doing other things.
Anyway. Later I will write up my thoughts on my last work placement. I am starting another one next week, so it will be nice to compare the two. This post is just to let you all know that I'm not dead, although I am (bizarrely) quite busy, but busy in that slow-moving way that involves little outside involvement, but a whole load of internal thought-processes.
Until later, then. :-)
Sunday 17 April 2011
Catching up
Phew. This has been a busy week. I've been doing work experience at a literary agency in London, so I've been commuting in, leaving the house at 8:30am and getting back at about 7:00pm. After the student life, and five hours of classes a week, it's quite a lifestyle change! I'm enjoying it, anyway. I've got another week there, though it's only a four-day week because of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend coming up.
I'll probably do a round-up post of this placement once I've finished, with some thoughts on the process, and taking a look at what I've learnt, so you can expect that next weekend. Until then, here's a couple of things I wanted to post this week but didn't have time for.
The Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist is out, which you can see here. I've only read two of the books shortlisted; I want to read ANNABEL but last time I checked it was only available in hardback, and I haven't really got space for many more books on my shelves so I'd better wait until it's out in paperback. The prize isn't awarded until 8th June, though, so I might try and get through the shortlist by then. It's only four books, to be fair, so I'll see what happens. Looking back to the longlist, I just finished reading REPEAT IT TODAY WITH TEARS by Anna Piele, which I really enjoyed. I would review it, but I've got hardly any time at the minute. I need to write a report for work tomorrow and an essay for university, so I think I've got plenty to be getting on with!
*
It was the London Book Fair this week. I hoped to get there for at least one of the days, but unfortunately didn't manage it as I was working. From the sounds of things, though, it was a nice busy fair, much better than last year which was disrupted by the ash cloud... But everyone I'm working with at the minute seemed very happy after the fair. Happy and exhausted. So I guess that's a good sign. You can see a report from The Bookseller here. I wish I'd been able to go, but perhaps next year I'll be able to go as an employee of one of the publishing companies, rather than just as a student. Fingers crossed.
*
Hopefully I'll get a chance to post a few things later in the week. Now I need to write my essay. Eek!
I'll probably do a round-up post of this placement once I've finished, with some thoughts on the process, and taking a look at what I've learnt, so you can expect that next weekend. Until then, here's a couple of things I wanted to post this week but didn't have time for.
The Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist is out, which you can see here. I've only read two of the books shortlisted; I want to read ANNABEL but last time I checked it was only available in hardback, and I haven't really got space for many more books on my shelves so I'd better wait until it's out in paperback. The prize isn't awarded until 8th June, though, so I might try and get through the shortlist by then. It's only four books, to be fair, so I'll see what happens. Looking back to the longlist, I just finished reading REPEAT IT TODAY WITH TEARS by Anna Piele, which I really enjoyed. I would review it, but I've got hardly any time at the minute. I need to write a report for work tomorrow and an essay for university, so I think I've got plenty to be getting on with!
*
It was the London Book Fair this week. I hoped to get there for at least one of the days, but unfortunately didn't manage it as I was working. From the sounds of things, though, it was a nice busy fair, much better than last year which was disrupted by the ash cloud... But everyone I'm working with at the minute seemed very happy after the fair. Happy and exhausted. So I guess that's a good sign. You can see a report from The Bookseller here. I wish I'd been able to go, but perhaps next year I'll be able to go as an employee of one of the publishing companies, rather than just as a student. Fingers crossed.
*
Hopefully I'll get a chance to post a few things later in the week. Now I need to write my essay. Eek!
Thursday 7 April 2011
End of an era...
Or the beginning of one.
Only time will tell.
Tomorrow I finish up at university. I have one piece of coursework that's due in, in May, but other than that I'm completely finished. No more classes, no more exams. I'm averaging a nice solid 2:1, which is pleasing. So I'm heading home on Saturday, not knowing if I'll be coming back, and that makes me sad. I mean sure, I'll be back for graduation, but that's just one day...
But enough doom and gloom. In more exciting news, I've got a work placement starting on Monday. It's only a two week placement, but there's also a job vacancy at this place that I've applied for, and I'm planning to use these two weeks as a kind of extended interview process, where I'll make everyone love me and they'll start to think they can't manage without me, and then they'll give me a job.
OK, it might not happen exactly like that, but I'm still hoping that I'll do well on this placement. They offered me a placement last summer, but I was already committed to working at another place, so I had to say no, so I'm glad I'm getting a second chance to go and work with them. It'll be quite strange though - for the first few days the office will be practically empty while the Book Fair's on, and then I guess it'll be incredibly busy once the Fair is over...
I'm sad I won't manage to get to the London Book Fair this year - I went last year and it was an interesting (but daunting!) experience. But I'm excited to see how things look from the other side.
Wish me luck!
Only time will tell.
Tomorrow I finish up at university. I have one piece of coursework that's due in, in May, but other than that I'm completely finished. No more classes, no more exams. I'm averaging a nice solid 2:1, which is pleasing. So I'm heading home on Saturday, not knowing if I'll be coming back, and that makes me sad. I mean sure, I'll be back for graduation, but that's just one day...
But enough doom and gloom. In more exciting news, I've got a work placement starting on Monday. It's only a two week placement, but there's also a job vacancy at this place that I've applied for, and I'm planning to use these two weeks as a kind of extended interview process, where I'll make everyone love me and they'll start to think they can't manage without me, and then they'll give me a job.
OK, it might not happen exactly like that, but I'm still hoping that I'll do well on this placement. They offered me a placement last summer, but I was already committed to working at another place, so I had to say no, so I'm glad I'm getting a second chance to go and work with them. It'll be quite strange though - for the first few days the office will be practically empty while the Book Fair's on, and then I guess it'll be incredibly busy once the Fair is over...
I'm sad I won't manage to get to the London Book Fair this year - I went last year and it was an interesting (but daunting!) experience. But I'm excited to see how things look from the other side.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Dresses. Pretty, pretty dresses.
Well you all seemed quite interested in my off-topic, "I don't understand clothes" post the other day.
I nearly had to post a follow-up. My boyfriend got me a ticket to a summer ball that they're having at his university, and my first thought was "oh god, what am I going to wear?!"
But actually, I got really lucky. I was feeling a bit rubbish yesterday so decided to head into the city to clear my head and get some fresh air... and I came home with a dress. It's really pretty, and it was only £20! (And it's got the boyfriend's approval, so it's nice to know I won't look like a fool...)
I'm not one to put photos of myself up all over the place, but I might make an exception, because I'm really excited about it. And I'm kind of proud of myself for solving this dilemma all by myself. Normally I drag my mum out... or rather, she drags me out and I get stressed because I can't find anything I like, or I feel really fat in everything, or they don't have the right size, or.... well, you get the picture. I'm not good at buying dresses, let's put it that way.
I will probably need some clothes advice soon though. I'm starting a work experience placement at a literary agency in London on Monday, and have NO idea what to wear. It's complicated by the fact that there's a party in the evening... Ugh. I'm really excited about it though. I'd done quite a lot of work in literary agencies last year, and so it'll be nice to get back into the office, you know?
All that aside, this is my pretty dress. Isn't it lovely.
(Apologies for the bad-quality photo. My housemate took it for me on my phone. That's a comment on my phone's quality as a camera, rather than my housemate's quality as a photographer, by the way...)
(Also, apologies for my horrendously smelly slippers that are trying to get in on the action. They're not the prettiest things in the world, are they.)
I nearly had to post a follow-up. My boyfriend got me a ticket to a summer ball that they're having at his university, and my first thought was "oh god, what am I going to wear?!"
But actually, I got really lucky. I was feeling a bit rubbish yesterday so decided to head into the city to clear my head and get some fresh air... and I came home with a dress. It's really pretty, and it was only £20! (And it's got the boyfriend's approval, so it's nice to know I won't look like a fool...)
I'm not one to put photos of myself up all over the place, but I might make an exception, because I'm really excited about it. And I'm kind of proud of myself for solving this dilemma all by myself. Normally I drag my mum out... or rather, she drags me out and I get stressed because I can't find anything I like, or I feel really fat in everything, or they don't have the right size, or.... well, you get the picture. I'm not good at buying dresses, let's put it that way.
I will probably need some clothes advice soon though. I'm starting a work experience placement at a literary agency in London on Monday, and have NO idea what to wear. It's complicated by the fact that there's a party in the evening... Ugh. I'm really excited about it though. I'd done quite a lot of work in literary agencies last year, and so it'll be nice to get back into the office, you know?
(Apologies for the bad-quality photo. My housemate took it for me on my phone. That's a comment on my phone's quality as a camera, rather than my housemate's quality as a photographer, by the way...)
(Also, apologies for my horrendously smelly slippers that are trying to get in on the action. They're not the prettiest things in the world, are they.)
Sunday 3 April 2011
Off-topic
This post has nothing to do with books, publishing, or anything else literature-related. Just sayin'.
...And on with the show.
I have a good friend, who I've known since secondary school, who told me at the start of the year that this would be the year she would reinvent herself. I asked her what she meant, and she said that she needed a new look. Now, at the time I was slightly puzzled by this. I didn't see anything wrong with her old look. But recently, I'm starting to get it.
You know that feeling when you get up in the morning and you feel like you've got nothing to wear? Well that's how I'm feeling at the minute. Except it's pretty much every day that I'll be feeling like this. I'm not a vain person, really. I don't spend hours planning my outfits and then hours getting ready. But I like to look good, you know?
I should mention that I'm also not, uh, the most fashion-savvy person in the world. My sister, well, I think she got the fashion genes. Or jeans, if you will. (Haha, Emily you're so funny. Yeah, I know. Thanks guys!)
ANYWAY. Essentially I'm at a stage in my life where I feel like I want to give my look a major overlook. By which I mean my wardrobe, not the rest of me. I'm just coming to the end of university, and since I've been here my wardrobe has consisted mainly of hoodies and the thickest jumpers I can find. Jeans that may or may not fit properly. And, er, that's about it. I don't know how to layer my clothes so that they look good, and I don't know how to accessorise properly. I own like, two belts (er, and a couple that don't fit me, and should probably be thrown away..!). I don't have any 'fashion jewellery'. My wardrobe is, in a word, boring.
Now, bearing in mind that I don't have much money at the minute, what do you think would be a good starting point with my wardrobe? I'm thinking maybe some cute accessories. Some jewellery, maybe. Long necklaces and bracelets, I always think they look cute - on other people, but not me, for some reason. I dunno. I should also probably go through and throw out anything that doesn't fit and/or I haven't worn for over a year...
And if you guys have any tips... I'd be thrilled. This fashion-challenged chica needs all the help she can get!
...And on with the show.
I have a good friend, who I've known since secondary school, who told me at the start of the year that this would be the year she would reinvent herself. I asked her what she meant, and she said that she needed a new look. Now, at the time I was slightly puzzled by this. I didn't see anything wrong with her old look. But recently, I'm starting to get it.
You know that feeling when you get up in the morning and you feel like you've got nothing to wear? Well that's how I'm feeling at the minute. Except it's pretty much every day that I'll be feeling like this. I'm not a vain person, really. I don't spend hours planning my outfits and then hours getting ready. But I like to look good, you know?
I should mention that I'm also not, uh, the most fashion-savvy person in the world. My sister, well, I think she got the fashion genes. Or jeans, if you will. (Haha, Emily you're so funny. Yeah, I know. Thanks guys!)
ANYWAY. Essentially I'm at a stage in my life where I feel like I want to give my look a major overlook. By which I mean my wardrobe, not the rest of me. I'm just coming to the end of university, and since I've been here my wardrobe has consisted mainly of hoodies and the thickest jumpers I can find. Jeans that may or may not fit properly. And, er, that's about it. I don't know how to layer my clothes so that they look good, and I don't know how to accessorise properly. I own like, two belts (er, and a couple that don't fit me, and should probably be thrown away..!). I don't have any 'fashion jewellery'. My wardrobe is, in a word, boring.
Now, bearing in mind that I don't have much money at the minute, what do you think would be a good starting point with my wardrobe? I'm thinking maybe some cute accessories. Some jewellery, maybe. Long necklaces and bracelets, I always think they look cute - on other people, but not me, for some reason. I dunno. I should also probably go through and throw out anything that doesn't fit and/or I haven't worn for over a year...
And if you guys have any tips... I'd be thrilled. This fashion-challenged chica needs all the help she can get!
Saturday 2 April 2011
Confession...
Today, I read The Bookseller for the first time. (Online, I might add, but it still counts.)
For the past couple of years I've been wanting to get into publishing. I've done a selection of work placements, had lots of email contact with companies all over Europe as part of these placements, been to the London Book Fair, been to a couple of SYP events... I've even been regularly using thebookseller.com in recent weeks/months to check for job vacancies.
And yet I'd never thought to actually read any of the news articles on there. Isn't that strange?
So I read up about a bit of what went on this year in Bologna, and then read a bit of pre-LBF gossip... and it was actually really interesting. More-so now than if I'd started reading it a year or so ago. Now I have an active interest in at least a couple of companies - ones I've previously worked with, ones I'm due to work with soon etc. and I've generally been paying more attention to the industry, I guess.
Maybe I'll make a habit of it.
Happy Saturday, everyone! As you may have noticed, I'm having a very quiet weekend. I hope yours are more exciting!
For the past couple of years I've been wanting to get into publishing. I've done a selection of work placements, had lots of email contact with companies all over Europe as part of these placements, been to the London Book Fair, been to a couple of SYP events... I've even been regularly using thebookseller.com in recent weeks/months to check for job vacancies.
And yet I'd never thought to actually read any of the news articles on there. Isn't that strange?
So I read up about a bit of what went on this year in Bologna, and then read a bit of pre-LBF gossip... and it was actually really interesting. More-so now than if I'd started reading it a year or so ago. Now I have an active interest in at least a couple of companies - ones I've previously worked with, ones I'm due to work with soon etc. and I've generally been paying more attention to the industry, I guess.
Maybe I'll make a habit of it.
Happy Saturday, everyone! As you may have noticed, I'm having a very quiet weekend. I hope yours are more exciting!
Thursday 31 March 2011
Review: The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel
Title: The Land of Painted Caves
Author: Jean M. Auel
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton, 2011
Rating: 3 stars
To start, here is a bit of information about the book, taken (again) from Goodreads.com:
The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children® series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago. THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES is an exquisite achievement by one of the world's most beloved authors.The Land of Painted Caves is a book that I (and many other people all over the world) have been eagerly anticipating for several years. The Earth's Children series was started by Auel back in 1980; now, more than thirty years later, the series finally comes to an end.
As you can see from this blog entry, I have spent a long time in recent days and weeks thinking about/obsessing over how the series would end. As it turns out, I didn't really need to be that worried. The Land of Painted Caves is written with the same attention to, and depth of, detail that is found in the rest of the series, with the prehistoric landscape vividly brought to life. As for the plot, well... it was a nice ending, I suppose. Everything was resolved, and tied up into a neat little parcel. Of course, there were some tense moments and some exasperating moments, but no issues that hadn't arisen earlier in the series. The good characters were still good - almost painfully so - and the bad characters were still devious and ruthless and malicious.
I don't know what I was expecting from this novel, and my three star rating isn't to say that I was disappointed. I wasn't. This novel made me happy and provided the right amount of closure to the story. But really, not a lot happened. There were no big dramatic twists (well, not really), and nothing that really moved me. However, as I've said, it was an enjoyable read, and was very well-written. And, of course, meticulously researched.
All in all, though, it simply doesn't live up to the earlier books in the series. It ends the series with a kind of quiet dignity that is, I suppose, fitting after its long 30-year life, but it is definitely an ending with less of a bang, and more of a whimper.
Three stars: enjoyable and a pleasant ending to the series, but definitely not for you if you're looking for something action-packed and dramatic!
Wednesday 30 March 2011
The (possibly never-ending) Job-hunt
Phew. I was feeling too grumpy to do a blog post today, but I looked at some photos of really adorable kittens and that cheered me up. No, really. Who can stay miserable when faced with the super-adorableness of kittens?
Anyway. Today I was going to tell you about my job-hunting process. Perhaps you'll be interested. And if you're not, well, tough. It's my blog, and this whole job-hunt thing is what's taking up roughly 90% of my thoughts at the minute...
I'm currently in the last couple of weeks as an undergraduate student at university. I'm in my final year, and am just finishing off the last couple of pieces of coursework. When term ends on 8th April, that's it, I'm finished. Lots of my friends have exams after the Easter break, but my course wasn't structured that way so I'll be all finished and ready to graduate in July (fingers crossed). I'm hoping to come out with a 2:1 at the end, but one of my classes this term is really tough so I'm not sure how I'll do in that one. Hopefully my marks over the rest of the year will make up for it, and hopefully I won't have any complete disasters.
Being so close to finishing my degree is an exciting time, but also completely terrifying. I'm looking for a job in publishing - ideally as an agent's assistant - but there aren't that many jobs out there. By which I mean I can't afford to be too picky. I spent last summer doing work placements in the industry - a six week placement at a literary agency in London, and four weeks at an Oxford-based publishing company. Before that I'd spent a week at another literary agency, a placement that I got through the careers centre at university.
So I feel like I've got a decent knowledge of the industry. This summer I've lined up a bunch of placements between April and July. If I'm honest, I can't really afford to do them all. They're unpaid, for starters, but also there's only so much you can learn in a two or three week placement. I'm very keen to find something permanent, and as it is I'm waiting to hear back from a number of places - a couple of literary agencies, and then some entry-level positions at some publishing houses.
I find it's the waiting that's harder than anything. Waiting to hear back from employers, and waiting for jobs to come up. Publishing isn't a big industry, and there are lots of people trying to make their way in it. I feel like I've got a good C.V (or resume, if you're American...), and I feel pretty optimistic about my chances on a couple of these applications. But the lack of certainty is doing my head in, and I'm going round and round in little circles of worry that would put my worrier-housemate to shame.
Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have some better news to share with you as my job-hunt continues. Of course, it'll probably be much more exciting for me than it will be for you, but I always like reading about other people's success stories. Hopefully soon I'll have one of my own. Hopefully.
Anyway. Today I was going to tell you about my job-hunting process. Perhaps you'll be interested. And if you're not, well, tough. It's my blog, and this whole job-hunt thing is what's taking up roughly 90% of my thoughts at the minute...
I'm currently in the last couple of weeks as an undergraduate student at university. I'm in my final year, and am just finishing off the last couple of pieces of coursework. When term ends on 8th April, that's it, I'm finished. Lots of my friends have exams after the Easter break, but my course wasn't structured that way so I'll be all finished and ready to graduate in July (fingers crossed). I'm hoping to come out with a 2:1 at the end, but one of my classes this term is really tough so I'm not sure how I'll do in that one. Hopefully my marks over the rest of the year will make up for it, and hopefully I won't have any complete disasters.
Being so close to finishing my degree is an exciting time, but also completely terrifying. I'm looking for a job in publishing - ideally as an agent's assistant - but there aren't that many jobs out there. By which I mean I can't afford to be too picky. I spent last summer doing work placements in the industry - a six week placement at a literary agency in London, and four weeks at an Oxford-based publishing company. Before that I'd spent a week at another literary agency, a placement that I got through the careers centre at university.
So I feel like I've got a decent knowledge of the industry. This summer I've lined up a bunch of placements between April and July. If I'm honest, I can't really afford to do them all. They're unpaid, for starters, but also there's only so much you can learn in a two or three week placement. I'm very keen to find something permanent, and as it is I'm waiting to hear back from a number of places - a couple of literary agencies, and then some entry-level positions at some publishing houses.
I find it's the waiting that's harder than anything. Waiting to hear back from employers, and waiting for jobs to come up. Publishing isn't a big industry, and there are lots of people trying to make their way in it. I feel like I've got a good C.V (or resume, if you're American...), and I feel pretty optimistic about my chances on a couple of these applications. But the lack of certainty is doing my head in, and I'm going round and round in little circles of worry that would put my worrier-housemate to shame.
Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have some better news to share with you as my job-hunt continues. Of course, it'll probably be much more exciting for me than it will be for you, but I always like reading about other people's success stories. Hopefully soon I'll have one of my own. Hopefully.
Tuesday 29 March 2011
Review: The Seas by Samantha Hunt
Title: The Seas
Author: Samantha Hunt
Publisher: Corsair, Constable & Robin, 2010
First published: Picador, U.S. 2006
Rating: 4.5 stars
Here is a synopsis of The Seas, taken from Goodreads.com:
The narrator of The Seas lives in a tiny, remote, alcoholic, cruel seaside town. An occasional chambermaid, granddaughter to a typesetter, and daughter to a dead man, awkward and brave, wayward and wilful, she is in love (unrequited) with an Iraq War veteran thirteen years her senior. She is convinced that she is a mermaid. What she does to ease the pain of growing up lands her in prison. What she does to get out is the stuff of legend. In the words of writer Michelle Tea, The Seas is "creepy and poetic, subversive and strangely funny, [and] a phenomenal piece of literature."
When I read the blurb of this book after seeing it on the longlist for the Orange Prize for Fiction, it was one of the books on the list I was most looking forward to reading.
When I first started reading, though, I didn’t like this book. Or, more precisely, I didn’t like the narrator or her style of narration. By the time I got to the end of The Seas, though, the style of the narration was probably what I liked most about it. It’s a very disjointed style of narration, as though she is fishing for the right words and only finding the wrong ones. This novel is one that’s obsessed with the right words. Unsurprising, when one of the main characters – the narrator’s grandfather – is writing a dictionary, of sorts. The novel spirals in on itself until all you’re left with are fragments of the narrator’s unstable consciousness, a few of the “right” words, and the sea. Of course, the sea.
The novel opens with the narrator trying to outrun the sea as its reflection fills her rearview mirror. It ends with the narrator and her mother swimming in the sea. And as for the rest of the novel, the sea batters it from every direction, a merciless presence in the troubled mind of a narrator who believes she is a mermaid. She is also in love with a man, Jude, thirteen years her senior. Her love for him is almost as strong a presence as the sea; it fills her every thought, nearly drowning her. And then constantly lurking in the background of the novel is the narrator’s father – missing, presumed dead. Her father, who she believes is also a mermaid, returned to the sea and waiting for her. As the novel progresses and the narrator’s grasp on reality becomes more and more tenuous, the sea and her love for Jude take over. Even ending up in prison does nothing to reassert her grip on reality.
I found myself wanting to believe what the narrator believed, but at the same time being completely terrified by her. Her gradual retreat from reality was spellbinding to observe, and the bizarre relationship between the narrator and Jude gave the story a heart that was alternately empty and overflowing with emotion.
This was a really well-written novel, hauntingly beautiful, but terribly sad. Highly recommended: nearly 5 stars.*
*I’ll admit that my 5-star system is flawed. I think of the books in relation to one another, rather than in relation to the system. So it’s possible that I’ll add another star or two to the rating system for incredible books like Norwegian Wood or something, but for now, we’ll let it be.
Monday 28 March 2011
So many books, so little time...
Well, I had a really busy weekend and didn't have time to post here for a few days - it was my housemate's 21st birthday, and my boyfriend was visiting for a few days. But you don't really want to hear about my weekend, do you. (In a nutshell: I ate lots of junk food and got pretty drunk. Standard party stuff, really...)
So instead, I thought I'd show you some of the exciting new additions to my TBR list.
From top to bottom:
The Seas - Samantha Hunt
Repeat it today with tears - Anne Peile
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Babel Tower - A.S Byatt
The best thing about these? I didn't have to buy any of them. I got The Seas from my boyfriend as part of my birthday present, my mum got me this copy of P&P (no, I don't know how I've got to 21 years of age without reading it yet), I was given Babel Tower by my aunt, who got it from someone who was getting rid of a load of their books, and I got Repeat it today with tears from the awesome people at Serpent's Tail, the publishers, after they ran a book giveaway on Twitter.
So there we go. Tomorrow I'll hopefully be able to get my hands on a copy of The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel, which will most likely be fast-tracked to the top of my list. At the minute though, I'm about 100 pages from the end of The Seas, which is pretty good except the narrator scares me a little...
Happy Monday, everyone!
So instead, I thought I'd show you some of the exciting new additions to my TBR list.
From top to bottom:
The Seas - Samantha Hunt
Repeat it today with tears - Anne Peile
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Babel Tower - A.S Byatt
The best thing about these? I didn't have to buy any of them. I got The Seas from my boyfriend as part of my birthday present, my mum got me this copy of P&P (no, I don't know how I've got to 21 years of age without reading it yet), I was given Babel Tower by my aunt, who got it from someone who was getting rid of a load of their books, and I got Repeat it today with tears from the awesome people at Serpent's Tail, the publishers, after they ran a book giveaway on Twitter.
So there we go. Tomorrow I'll hopefully be able to get my hands on a copy of The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel, which will most likely be fast-tracked to the top of my list. At the minute though, I'm about 100 pages from the end of The Seas, which is pretty good except the narrator scares me a little...
Happy Monday, everyone!
Thursday 24 March 2011
Countdown...
OK, I should probably let you know that I'm pretty excited at the minute.
Why, you ask?
Because the new (last?) book in Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series is out in a week! According to Amazon, the fifth book in the series, The Shelters of Stone, came out in 2002, 2003-ish. I'm not sure about that, because I'm sure I read the fifth book in hardback, borrowed from a friend, just after it came out. And I don't think I was reading this series at the age of twelve or thirteen.
ANYWAY. That aside, the point is that I've been waiting YEARS(!!!) for this book.
With the obvious exception of the Harry Potter series, I've never really had to wait for a specific book to be released. Probably because I'm a little slow on the uptake, and by the time I get round to reading a series, the final book has already been released. (I did that earlier in the month with Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series...). And while I did have to wait a little while for the later Harry Potter books, it was only ever a year or two at a time.
So. After a wait of about eight years, I'm looking forward to getting a copy of The Land of Painted Caves. But, of course, I'm starting to worry about it too. What if the book doesn't live up to my expectations? What if the ending is terrible? What if my favourite character(s) die? What if everybody dies? I guess I'll find out soon enough..!
What is the longest you've ever waited for a new book to come out? What was it? Was it worth it? Tell me your tales of anticipation and (hopefully not) disappointment...
Why, you ask?
Because the new (last?) book in Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series is out in a week! According to Amazon, the fifth book in the series, The Shelters of Stone, came out in 2002, 2003-ish. I'm not sure about that, because I'm sure I read the fifth book in hardback, borrowed from a friend, just after it came out. And I don't think I was reading this series at the age of twelve or thirteen.
ANYWAY. That aside, the point is that I've been waiting YEARS(!!!) for this book.
With the obvious exception of the Harry Potter series, I've never really had to wait for a specific book to be released. Probably because I'm a little slow on the uptake, and by the time I get round to reading a series, the final book has already been released. (I did that earlier in the month with Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series...). And while I did have to wait a little while for the later Harry Potter books, it was only ever a year or two at a time.
So. After a wait of about eight years, I'm looking forward to getting a copy of The Land of Painted Caves. But, of course, I'm starting to worry about it too. What if the book doesn't live up to my expectations? What if the ending is terrible? What if my favourite character(s) die? What if everybody dies? I guess I'll find out soon enough..!
What is the longest you've ever waited for a new book to come out? What was it? Was it worth it? Tell me your tales of anticipation and (hopefully not) disappointment...
Wednesday 23 March 2011
Review: Grace Williams Says it Loud by Emma Henderson
Title: Grace Williams Says it Loud
Author: Emma Henderson
Publisher: Sceptre, 2010
Rating: 3 stars
Author: Emma Henderson
Publisher: Sceptre, 2010
Rating: 3 stars
To begin, here is a synopsis of Grace Williams Says it Loud, taken from Goodreads.com:
This isn't an ordinary love story. But then Grace isn't an ordinary girl. 'Disgusting,' said the nurse. And when no more could be done, they put her away, aged eleven. On her first day at the Briar Mental Institute, Grace meets Daniel. He sees a different Grace: someone to share secrets and canoodle with, someone to fight for. Debonair Daniel, who can type with his feet, fills Grace's head with tales from Paris and the world beyond. This is Grace's story: her life, its betrayals and triumphs, disappointment and loss, the taste of freedom; roses, music and tiny scraps of paper. Most of all, it is about the love of a lifetime.
Grace Williams Says it Loud tells the story of Grace, physically disabled and “mentally deficient”, as they put it in the book. We follow her from infancy, to the Briar Mental Institute, to a home in Hounslow. She makes friends and enemies, she falls in love with the wonderfully charismatic Daniel (my favourite character in the book), and then she loses him. Twice. We are shown the story of this life through Grace’s eyes, though it is the voices of all the other characters which fill the pages. Grace herself manages to speak only a maximum of two words at a time; the novel allows her thoughts the expression that her body is incapable of providing. It is this contrast, between the richly observant, descriptive narrative, and Grace’s stunted speech and her treatment by the nurses at Briar, that makes for some of the most moving sections of the book.
When I started reading this novel, I honestly couldn’t decide whether I liked it or not. I read it in three sittings: in the first, I reached page 70; in the second, I got to around page 170; and in the third sitting I read right to the end. But what struck me most about this book was that, by the time I reached page 70, I still couldn’t decide whether or not I liked this book. I found its narrative style didn’t quite sit right with me. I still can’t work out why. But what I then realised, whilst I was still puzzling over whether or not I liked this book, was that either way, it had made a significant impression on me in those opening few chapters.
Even now I have finished Grace Williams Says it Loud, I still can’t say whether or not I liked it. It was compelling, yes, and moving, and beautiful, in a way. It’s not a story – or a character – that I am likely to forget in a hurry. But I don’t think I enjoyed reading it. All the way through, the narrative style didn’t seem quite right. Grace’s observations seemed over-done, especially in the opening scenes of the novel. And then again at the end.
So: it was touching and beautifully done, in its own way, but not quite to my taste. Grace Williams Says it Loud was a good read, but not a book that I was able to lose myself in completely.
Tuesday 22 March 2011
5 Books I Never Wanted To End
In my daily trawl around the internet, I came across The Next Best Book Club - a very interesting-looking book blog. Their most recent post is where I, uh, acquired the idea for this post from.
Have you ever read a book that you've enjoyed so much that you've wanted to be able to keep reading it forever? Well, I have. Here's my five:
1. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Wow. I don't know what to say about this book. But I haven't read another book that's had anywhere near the same effect on me. When I finished reading it I just sat there for a little while thinking "what's next?". As it was, I couldn't think of a suitable book to follow it that wouldn't pale in comparison, so the next day I picked it up and read it all over again. This is, I think, my favourite book ever. It broke my heart, and had particular resonance as a sometimes-friend recommended it to me after one of my school friends passed away, which is where the novel starts. Absolutely incredible.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
I have friends at university who haven't read any of the Harry Potter series. I struggle with that idea, personally, because they're the series of our generation. They were the first books I'd stay up all night to finish, and I suppose they're what really got me hooked on reading. I could read this whole series again and again. While I didn't want the series to end, I'm glad they did, in a way, before they went downhill in quality and storyline... But yes, I really love these books.
3. Possession by A.S. Byatt
I have a little notebook in which I write down all the books I read. I started doing this in December 2009, so I could keep track. It has a little system: an asterisk if it's a book for university, one tick if I thought it was really great. A cross if I didn't like it. Possession was the first book that I had to give two ticks to, because I thought it was too good for just one. Like Norwegian Wood I didn't know what to read afterwards. It's been about a year since I last read it, though - time for a re-read?
4. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
If you've never read Margaret Atwood... you should. I've read a fair few of her novels, and this is, by far, my favourite. The Goodreads summary says that once you've read this, "nothing will ever look the same again". And they're right. All the science in the background of this novel seems a little too realistic. True, it's taken to the extreme, but you can't help thinking "what if...?". This book terrified me, but in a good way. I just wanted to keep reading, especially when Atwood just... leaves it at the end. (Though there is some resolution in its sort-of sequel, The Year of the Flood...)
5. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
Yes, I know this is the first book in Auel's Earth's Children series, but it is, in my opinion, the best by far. I loved the world of the Clan and Ayla's position within it - something that is missing from the rest of the series. I'm excited for the final book, The Land of Painted Caves, which is coming out at the end of the month, but I can't help feeling that it will never match up to the brilliance of the opening book of the series. I can't count how many times I've re-read this, but every time I notice something new. This is a wonderful, wonderful book. Everyone should read it. (Except you, Ollie. It's very long, it would probably take you ten years to read...)
Of course, I could've chosen many more than five books to enthuse about, but that would've been excessive, don't you think? What about you, then? Which books do you wish had never ended?
Have you ever read a book that you've enjoyed so much that you've wanted to be able to keep reading it forever? Well, I have. Here's my five:
Wow. I don't know what to say about this book. But I haven't read another book that's had anywhere near the same effect on me. When I finished reading it I just sat there for a little while thinking "what's next?". As it was, I couldn't think of a suitable book to follow it that wouldn't pale in comparison, so the next day I picked it up and read it all over again. This is, I think, my favourite book ever. It broke my heart, and had particular resonance as a sometimes-friend recommended it to me after one of my school friends passed away, which is where the novel starts. Absolutely incredible.
I have friends at university who haven't read any of the Harry Potter series. I struggle with that idea, personally, because they're the series of our generation. They were the first books I'd stay up all night to finish, and I suppose they're what really got me hooked on reading. I could read this whole series again and again. While I didn't want the series to end, I'm glad they did, in a way, before they went downhill in quality and storyline... But yes, I really love these books.
I have a little notebook in which I write down all the books I read. I started doing this in December 2009, so I could keep track. It has a little system: an asterisk if it's a book for university, one tick if I thought it was really great. A cross if I didn't like it. Possession was the first book that I had to give two ticks to, because I thought it was too good for just one. Like Norwegian Wood I didn't know what to read afterwards. It's been about a year since I last read it, though - time for a re-read?
If you've never read Margaret Atwood... you should. I've read a fair few of her novels, and this is, by far, my favourite. The Goodreads summary says that once you've read this, "nothing will ever look the same again". And they're right. All the science in the background of this novel seems a little too realistic. True, it's taken to the extreme, but you can't help thinking "what if...?". This book terrified me, but in a good way. I just wanted to keep reading, especially when Atwood just... leaves it at the end. (Though there is some resolution in its sort-of sequel, The Year of the Flood...)
Yes, I know this is the first book in Auel's Earth's Children series, but it is, in my opinion, the best by far. I loved the world of the Clan and Ayla's position within it - something that is missing from the rest of the series. I'm excited for the final book, The Land of Painted Caves, which is coming out at the end of the month, but I can't help feeling that it will never match up to the brilliance of the opening book of the series. I can't count how many times I've re-read this, but every time I notice something new. This is a wonderful, wonderful book. Everyone should read it. (Except you, Ollie. It's very long, it would probably take you ten years to read...)
Of course, I could've chosen many more than five books to enthuse about, but that would've been excessive, don't you think? What about you, then? Which books do you wish had never ended?
More book wrap enthusiasm...
Thanks to a helpful comment from my boyfriend, you can now see photos of my book wrap. He bought it from a company called Loose Leaf Paper on Etsy.com.
If you're a book lover (or, as my sister affectionately calls me, a "book freak") and you travel a lot, I'd recommend one of these. A while back I lent my boyfriend a copy of Slaughterhouse 5, and it travelled around with him for so long that it now has a huge crease running down the centre of the cover. No, he hasn't been forgiven yet. But if he'd had one of these, that wouldn't have happened. Maybe I should get him one for his next birthday... (I should add that Slaughterhouse 5 is the ONLY book he's read in all of the time we've been together. Over a year and a half...)
If you're a book lover (or, as my sister affectionately calls me, a "book freak") and you travel a lot, I'd recommend one of these. A while back I lent my boyfriend a copy of Slaughterhouse 5, and it travelled around with him for so long that it now has a huge crease running down the centre of the cover. No, he hasn't been forgiven yet. But if he'd had one of these, that wouldn't have happened. Maybe I should get him one for his next birthday... (I should add that Slaughterhouse 5 is the ONLY book he's read in all of the time we've been together. Over a year and a half...)
Monday 21 March 2011
Simple Pleasures: My Book Wrap
As I mentioned in a previous post, my wonderful boyfriend got me a book wrap as part of my birthday present. (Inside the book wrap was a copy of The Seas by Samantha Hunt, which was on the Orange Prize longlist and has now been fast-tracked to the top of my To Read pile. But more on that another day...)
"What a great idea," I thought, as I opened the present. "One of the books I brought back from Norwich with me got its cover creased on the journey. Now I've got a nice way to protect it."
Today I went to London. Today I also took my book wrap out with me for the first time. A few days ago I finished The Swimmer by Roma Tearne, so was in need of a new book to read. I decided on Grace Williams Says It Loud, another novel picked for the Orange Prize longlist, and one I bought in my book-haul last week. As it travelled all the way back from Norwich with me, I thought I'd read that before The Seas which, as far as I know, hasn't travelled as far.
As it was, I didn't get any reading done on the train. But Grace Williams Says It Loud sat there in my bag, waiting patiently, snug, secure and uncreased in its pretty book wrap. It wasn't until this evening when I felt like doing some reading that I finally got it out of my handbag. And it wasn't until that moment that I realised the other great thing about this book wrap. Sure, it's very practical and will save many of my books from the torturous chaos of my handbag. But what I didn't recognise until that moment was the beauty that it adds to the reading process.
So: I take the wrap out of my bag and place it in my lap. The piece of ribbon is unwound from the button, and then once, twice, three times around the book. Then the fabric is folded open to the left, and then the other side is opened to the right. Grace Williams Says It Loud sits there, in the middle of the fabric, with its beautiful cover and the sea and the brooding sky... And that's it.
The beauty of the extended moment, perhaps. After all that I could finally pick up the novel and begin reading. Perhaps it just heightens the anticipation of starting a new book - that might be all it is. But there was something wonderfully pleasing about unwrapping that book before I could begin reading. Something that I'm sure most people wouldn't really appreciate.
My thought for today: it's the simple things in life that make me happy. I forget that too often.
"What a great idea," I thought, as I opened the present. "One of the books I brought back from Norwich with me got its cover creased on the journey. Now I've got a nice way to protect it."
Today I went to London. Today I also took my book wrap out with me for the first time. A few days ago I finished The Swimmer by Roma Tearne, so was in need of a new book to read. I decided on Grace Williams Says It Loud, another novel picked for the Orange Prize longlist, and one I bought in my book-haul last week. As it travelled all the way back from Norwich with me, I thought I'd read that before The Seas which, as far as I know, hasn't travelled as far.
As it was, I didn't get any reading done on the train. But Grace Williams Says It Loud sat there in my bag, waiting patiently, snug, secure and uncreased in its pretty book wrap. It wasn't until this evening when I felt like doing some reading that I finally got it out of my handbag. And it wasn't until that moment that I realised the other great thing about this book wrap. Sure, it's very practical and will save many of my books from the torturous chaos of my handbag. But what I didn't recognise until that moment was the beauty that it adds to the reading process.
So: I take the wrap out of my bag and place it in my lap. The piece of ribbon is unwound from the button, and then once, twice, three times around the book. Then the fabric is folded open to the left, and then the other side is opened to the right. Grace Williams Says It Loud sits there, in the middle of the fabric, with its beautiful cover and the sea and the brooding sky... And that's it.
The beauty of the extended moment, perhaps. After all that I could finally pick up the novel and begin reading. Perhaps it just heightens the anticipation of starting a new book - that might be all it is. But there was something wonderfully pleasing about unwrapping that book before I could begin reading. Something that I'm sure most people wouldn't really appreciate.
My thought for today: it's the simple things in life that make me happy. I forget that too often.
Review: The Swimmer by Roma Tearne
Title: The Swimmer
Author: Roma Tearne
Publisher: HarperPress, 2010
Rating: 4 stars
Author: Roma Tearne
Publisher: HarperPress, 2010
Rating: 4 stars
It’s been a little while since I’ve written a review of any books, so to get me started, here is a synopsis of the novel, taken from Goodreads.com:
A gripping, captivating novel about love, loss and what home really means.
Ben is a young illegal immigrant from Sri Lanka who has arrived in Norfolk via Moscow. Awaiting a decision from the Home Office on his asylum application, he is discovered by Ria as he takes a daily swim in the river close to her house. He is twenty years her junior and theirs is an unconventional but deeply moving romance, defying both boundaries and cultures – and the xenophobic residents of Orford. That is, until tragedy occurs.
Forty-three year old Ria is used to being alone. As a child, her life changed forever with the death of her beloved father and since then, she has struggled to find love. That is, until she discovers the swimmer.
The Swimmer is an incredibly moving story told through three different voices, each section of the novel still centring around (as the title suggests) the swimmer – Ben. A Sri Lankan doctor seeking asylum, Ben finds himself stranded in rural Suffolk when his money runs out and he is unable to reach London. He begins working illegally whilst waiting to hear back from the Home Office, and meets Ria as he struggles to survive, stealing food from her kitchen and swimming in the river close to her house to keep clean. It is an unlikely friendship between them which soon blossoms into romance, and still they await the decision from an impotent Home Office with regards to Ben’s asylum application.
This beautiful relationship is painted against a backdrop of barely-concealed racism in the Suffolk village of Orford. While the whispers of terrorism and news reports of ritually slaughtered animals fail to make an impression on Ria, we see the village closing in on itself, leaving Ben stranded on the outside. And then the sounds of gunshots ring out and their tragic repercussions echo through the rest of the novel.
Through the voices of a lover, a mother, and a daughter, the novel personalises the asylum process and the tragedy of loss and dislocation that is at the heart of this book. The three distinct voices of three very different women work to bring together the political and the personal, encouraging us to understand the predicament faced by so many refugees in this day and age. Writing at a time when immigration is a key issue in British politics, this novel sensitively gives us a glimpse at ‘the other side’ of the debate. For Ben and his mother Anula, Britain is a source of hope in their war-torn home country, a chance for a better, safer life. What we are shown in this novel is just how easy it is to put your hope in the wrong thing.
The Swimmer moved me to tears more than once – something I always consider to be the mark of a good book. Tearne’s writing is beautiful in the precision with which she depicts her characters and their world. The tensions between the characters are beautifully managed and conveyed; for me, it is Anula's section of the novel, filled with her undirected rage and her unarticulated hatred of Ria, which is most striking. This beautiful, heartfelt novel is Tearne's fourth, but my first look at her writing. I'll definitely be taking a look at some of her earlier works - this is a wonderful, touching work of fiction that I enjoyed immensely. Highly recommended.
Sunday 20 March 2011
Happy birthday to me!
(...for yesterday...)
Yeah. I turned 21 yesterday, and had a wonderful party with the whole family to celebrate. My mum had organised it all for me, so we spent the day at home with cake and presents and family arriving in small groups, before we headed out for dinner in the evening.
The meal was really nice - we'd had to make our food choices before the day, so everyone already knew what they were eating. It was a bit strange to have both sides of the family there - mum's family and dad's - but I think it went pretty well and I had a lovely time, either way. And then we had an interesting taxi ride home with my boyfriend squashed in the back with at least ten helium balloons, unable to see out at all. Ha. I think he drew the short straw there...
And speaking of my boyfriend, he got me a wonderful bookish gift - a book wrap! I'd never seen them before, but it's just what I need to keep my books nice with all the travelling I'm currently doing. Plus it's beautiful, and has come all the way from Australia! I want to put a photo up to show you how awesome it is, but my camera's back at university, and I can't find anything like it online. Probably because my brain is too tired to work at the minute from all the excitement of the weekend...
I also got a couple of books from him, and a book token from his parents. And then my aunt gave me a big box of books she'd got free from a friend who was clearing out her house, so all in all I've probably ended up with at least 15 new books since the start of the weekend! I want to get a photo of them, too, because few things are more exciting for me than A WHOLE BOX OF BOOKS! Obviously I got other gifts too, like some really nice jewellery, but you don't want to hear about that. I promise that soon you'll get to see my super-awesome second book haul of the week!
So, I've had a really great weekend. I'm going into London tomorrow to meet with some people at a literary agency (actually, two) about some work experience, so that'll be nice. And then I've got a couple of days back home before I head back to Norwich.
I hope everyone's had a good weekend? What have you been up to?
Yeah. I turned 21 yesterday, and had a wonderful party with the whole family to celebrate. My mum had organised it all for me, so we spent the day at home with cake and presents and family arriving in small groups, before we headed out for dinner in the evening.
The meal was really nice - we'd had to make our food choices before the day, so everyone already knew what they were eating. It was a bit strange to have both sides of the family there - mum's family and dad's - but I think it went pretty well and I had a lovely time, either way. And then we had an interesting taxi ride home with my boyfriend squashed in the back with at least ten helium balloons, unable to see out at all. Ha. I think he drew the short straw there...
And speaking of my boyfriend, he got me a wonderful bookish gift - a book wrap! I'd never seen them before, but it's just what I need to keep my books nice with all the travelling I'm currently doing. Plus it's beautiful, and has come all the way from Australia! I want to put a photo up to show you how awesome it is, but my camera's back at university, and I can't find anything like it online. Probably because my brain is too tired to work at the minute from all the excitement of the weekend...
I also got a couple of books from him, and a book token from his parents. And then my aunt gave me a big box of books she'd got free from a friend who was clearing out her house, so all in all I've probably ended up with at least 15 new books since the start of the weekend! I want to get a photo of them, too, because few things are more exciting for me than A WHOLE BOX OF BOOKS! Obviously I got other gifts too, like some really nice jewellery, but you don't want to hear about that. I promise that soon you'll get to see my super-awesome second book haul of the week!
So, I've had a really great weekend. I'm going into London tomorrow to meet with some people at a literary agency (actually, two) about some work experience, so that'll be nice. And then I've got a couple of days back home before I head back to Norwich.
I hope everyone's had a good weekend? What have you been up to?
Friday 18 March 2011
Coming home
Phew. Today's been a busy day. After a frantic morning spent trying to fit clothes for an undetermined number of days into a bag, I then had a four hour train journey from Norwich (where I'm studying) to Buckinghamshire (where my family lives).
I think that journey brought my total hours spent on trains in the last week up to 15. Ish. And I've got to go into London again on Monday, but that won't be so bad as it's only an hour each way.
The plus side of all these train journeys, though, is that they give me lots of reading time. On the train back today I finished The Swimmer, which I started a couple of days ago. So hopefully I'll get a review of that up in the next couple of days. I really enjoyed it, but it made me want to cry in several parts. Which would've been fine if I'd been at home, but as it is I think I'd get some odd looks if I was sat crying over a book on a crowded train...
And the plus side of being home (aside from seeing my family and my cat) is that I can now go and raid my real bookshelf for some of the many unread books I've got here, and take them back to Norwich with me to be added to my TO READ pile. Although I should start thinking about essays and stuff soon. I've only got three-ish weeks of term left, so the pressure's on!
Review of The Swimmer to follow soon. But it's my birthday tomorrow, so it won't be then!
Happy weekend, folks!
I think that journey brought my total hours spent on trains in the last week up to 15. Ish. And I've got to go into London again on Monday, but that won't be so bad as it's only an hour each way.
The plus side of all these train journeys, though, is that they give me lots of reading time. On the train back today I finished The Swimmer, which I started a couple of days ago. So hopefully I'll get a review of that up in the next couple of days. I really enjoyed it, but it made me want to cry in several parts. Which would've been fine if I'd been at home, but as it is I think I'd get some odd looks if I was sat crying over a book on a crowded train...
And the plus side of being home (aside from seeing my family and my cat) is that I can now go and raid my real bookshelf for some of the many unread books I've got here, and take them back to Norwich with me to be added to my TO READ pile. Although I should start thinking about essays and stuff soon. I've only got three-ish weeks of term left, so the pressure's on!
Review of The Swimmer to follow soon. But it's my birthday tomorrow, so it won't be then!
Happy weekend, folks!
Thursday 17 March 2011
Book-haul
My name is Emily Smith, and I'm a bookaholic.
There, I said it.
After the Orange Prize for Fiction longlist was announced yesterday, I spent a lot of the afternoon thinking about books. I'll be honest - I didn't have much else to do. So it got to mid-afternoon and I started getting a bit twitchy and restless, so I decided to go into town. Except "town" for me (90% of the time) means "bookshop". And so I made my way down to the local bookshop, braving a bus full of small children which were having some sort of screaming contest, and picked up a nice selection to add to my TO READ pile.
From top to bottom:
The Swimmer - Roma Tearne
Grace Williams Says it Loud - Emma Henderson
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
The Long Song - Andrea Levy.
*Note: I only bought the top 3 yesterday. They were on a 3 for 2 deal, so I got The Book Thief as well because I've heard a fair bit about it recently. I got The Long Song a couple of weeks ago in my last book-haul. I bought Room at the same time, and then a couple of days later bought all of The Hunger Games trilogy. That was a good week.
**Note: This is only the most recent additions to my TO READ pile. Lots of them are at home, rather than with me at university, which makes me sad. Other than these, I think I've only got two other books on my bookshelves here that I haven't read yet, which makes me feel slightly nervous.
I started reading The Swimmer last night. I'm about 80 pages in now, and am enjoying it so far. My initial impressions were that it's got a great cover, and that it could do with a slightly larger font size. I won't go into my thoughts on the novel itself just yet; that's something for another day. I'm off to do a bit more reading now, before some pre-birthday celebrations with my housemates, hooray!
There, I said it.
After the Orange Prize for Fiction longlist was announced yesterday, I spent a lot of the afternoon thinking about books. I'll be honest - I didn't have much else to do. So it got to mid-afternoon and I started getting a bit twitchy and restless, so I decided to go into town. Except "town" for me (90% of the time) means "bookshop". And so I made my way down to the local bookshop, braving a bus full of small children which were having some sort of screaming contest, and picked up a nice selection to add to my TO READ pile.
From top to bottom:
The Swimmer - Roma Tearne
Grace Williams Says it Loud - Emma Henderson
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
The Long Song - Andrea Levy.
*Note: I only bought the top 3 yesterday. They were on a 3 for 2 deal, so I got The Book Thief as well because I've heard a fair bit about it recently. I got The Long Song a couple of weeks ago in my last book-haul. I bought Room at the same time, and then a couple of days later bought all of The Hunger Games trilogy. That was a good week.
**Note: This is only the most recent additions to my TO READ pile. Lots of them are at home, rather than with me at university, which makes me sad. Other than these, I think I've only got two other books on my bookshelves here that I haven't read yet, which makes me feel slightly nervous.
I started reading The Swimmer last night. I'm about 80 pages in now, and am enjoying it so far. My initial impressions were that it's got a great cover, and that it could do with a slightly larger font size. I won't go into my thoughts on the novel itself just yet; that's something for another day. I'm off to do a bit more reading now, before some pre-birthday celebrations with my housemates, hooray!
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