Jane Rusbridge's Blog, page 7
November 9, 2012
After Supper Talk at the Lazarus Game Plan
I’m delighted to have been invited to be one of the after-dinner speakers at the Lazarus Game Plan, run by Vanessa Gebbie and Peggy Riley. The other speaker is Julia Crouch, author of Cuckoo and Every Vow You Break.
About the Lazarus Game Plan:
‘Have you lost faith in your novel? Is it languishing somewhere, unloved?
Have you finished a NaNoWriMo, or are about to start one, and don’t know what to do with your first draft? Have you written a novel, or part of one, independently and lost confidence? Whether you are a beginning novelist or a seasoned writer who needs to get back to basics, The Lazarus Game Plan will help you bring your writing back to life. In a small group of like-minded writers (6 maximum) supported by two experienced tutors, you’ll leave with fresh ideas, renewed confidence in your project and a fleshed-out game plan’
Read more on the Lazarus Game Plan website
October 18, 2012
Questions? Here are some answers …
I love talking about books, writing and the creative process so if you have any questions please feel free to send them my way. However, here are a few I’ve answered recently – you may find your answer is already here.
August 2012: ROOK’s publication month …
What the Dickens? Literary Magazine: p6: route to publication, reasons for writing and research.
My Undercover Soundtrack : music and writing Rook ‘wrestling with ferocity over the music’
Interviews:
Words Unlimited: writing into the dark, Heaney’s Preoccupations and gifts from the unconscious.
Worthing Book Network : family secrets and untold stories; growing up in Bexhill-on-sea; the ‘extraordinary magic that lies in the everyday’
Novel Kicks : planning v. not planning; 5 tips for new writers; do writers have favourite characters?
We Love This Bookinterview with Janette Currie: Simon Schama; landscape and memory; writing difficult emotional scenes
Autumn 2012
Services to Literature : Rook’s journey …
Vanessa Gebbie’s blog : on research, finding a uniting thread, and love of landscape
How I Write: for Untitled Books
Interview with Jackie Buxton for Chase Magazine
October 16, 2012
A Retreat You Can’t Beat
Exhausted by trying to stay positive in all this rain? Well, there’s this place I know, one which might help…
Retreating from our busy lives is not always easy. Usually, the sunshine and warmth of summer allows us many opportunities to eat our meals outside and to take time over them, to go for walks and lazy picnics, to spend a day reading on the beach – but not this year, not in Britain. Maybe because of the endless rain and cloud, many people are talking of a need to switch-off, or escape.
Fifteen years ago, we first went to the North coast of Crete on a package tour. One day, we hired a car and stopped at a petrol station to fill up. When the Greek guy on the pumps asked us where we were going, I held up our very basic tourist map, pointing to a beach on the south coast recommended by a guide at the hotel. He took the map from my hands, whipped a biro from behind his ear and drew a blue wiggle where the map was completely blank, just south of Spili.
‘Go here,’ he said, jabbing with his finger. ‘This is where the Greeks go.’
And so we discovered, by chance, a stretch of coast just south of Spili to which we have returned every year.
Why?
This why: we return because we fell in love with rugged mountains, olive trees clinging to rocky slopes which give way – here and there – to the gravelly scoop of an isolated beach; we fell in love with air which smells of sunbaked earth, aromatic with mountain herbs, and with night skies thick with stars. We fell in love with remote tavernas nestled at the end of dirt tracks, or tucked into the shelter of a craggy corner, perhaps built around an ancient carob storehouse or stone fisherman’s hut, buildings often owned by the same local family for generations. We fell in love with the place, and the people we met there.
This is Akoumia beach, to the east of the Triopetra rocks which provide a striking landmark on this stretch of coast. That first day, we were the only people on this beach; the only people at Apanemia taverna for lunch. The taverna had recently opened, a new venture for the Koumandakis family. Stelios and his mother fed us with delicious octopus in red wine sauce and rabbit stifado, brought us chocolate biscuit cake to taste, and gave us raki made from their own grapes. They welcomed us as if we were friends, and we were charmed.
Kindness and generosity are what Cretans in these mountain villages and tavernas give to strangers, always offering food or drink, pressing gifts of their own wine and homegrown produce into our hands. Even Rula, the lady who owns the supermarket where we often shop in Spili, about 25 minutes drive from the coast.
Since that first drive down to the south coast, we’ve always headed straight to the south coast from Heraklion. Once there, we read, swim, read, wander along the empty beaches, eat, read… You get the picture. Sometimes we explore the dirt tracks up the mountain or along the coast and get lost.
Many magical places are close by, like Akoumia church, on the top of the mountain, and the narrow backstreets of Spili. Or, further afield, the Minoan Palace at Phaestos; the Roman cemetry at Matala, where hippies lived in the 60s. Over the years, more people have ‘discovered’ the joys of this area. As well as the Greeks who flock there in August, in the quieter months you might meet Belgian, French, German, Austrian and a few other British tourists. Many return, like us, year after year.
Think you might want a trip out there?
Here are my favourite places to use as a base for explorations:
Apanemia Taverna – number one on the list - run by Stelios and his fiancee Georgia. Here, you sleep to the sound of the sea, within a few steps of the beach . . . (see also main website )
Agia Fotini taverna with its turqouise shutters and tablesis so close to the sea that, on a windy day, your food is seasoned with salt spray. You can read a Guardian article with more details here
Ligres : with its lush river valley and terraced taverna looking down over a long, empty beach.
The tavernas at Apanemia, Ligres and Agia Fotini are all family-run and very friendly, serving delicious, traditional Greek food. All three have rooms.
If you fancy self-catering instead, there’s Agia Paraskevi , a village up in the mountains where you can rent a simple stone house which has been restored, and listen to goat bells on the wind.
We’ve stayed here, in Agyro’s House, more than once.
Between the village of Akoumia and the beach at Triopetra are Paterakis Studios , great if you like to self-cater and prefer a spacious room in a less remote spot. And here, there’s also a swimming pool.
A friend recently enjoyed 3 weeks holiday in this part of Crete, staying in Agia Fotini. She came home and announced on facebook: ‘Crete is good for the soul’. That pretty much sums it up.
With thanks to Nat Miller for all the best photos here. If you’d like to use any, please run it past us first, via the contact form on this website. Thank you!
October 13, 2012
A Christmas Festival at Stansted Park House
I’ll be by the Christmas Tree in the Gift Marquee at the Stansted Park House Christmas Festival with fellow Three Sussex Writers, Isabel Ashdown and Gabrielle Kimm.
We’ll be chatting to readers, signing copies of our books and even gift-wrapping them for you for free!
Venue: Stansted Park Times: Friday 23 Nov 12pm – 8pm Sat 24 – Sun 25 10am – 5pm
Enjoy the festive fun in the beautiful historic setting of Stansted House and browse the extensive range of gifts and goods available.
For the younger members of your family, Santa will arrive on Friday evening to take up his place in the grotto. Carolers will add to the celebrations, along with delicious Christmassy refreshments. Read more.
We’ll be washing down a few mince pies with mulled wine - do come and join us! A book signed to a friend makes a great Christmas gift.
You can read more about our books here.
‘Rusbridge’s fine perceptions of the natural world, the way her writing is steeped in the landscape, history and culture of West Sussex, help define her as a talented new regional voice’
Read Rachel Hore’s review in Book Oxygen
All photos in this post by Natalie Miller
October 11, 2012
ROOK at Bookmark Belles
I’m delighted that brand new book group, The Bookmark Belles, has chosen to read ROOK to discuss at their inaugural meeting.
The Bookmark Belles are an offshoot of The Blake Belles , a new generation social and craft group for Felpham and the surrounding areas. The Blake Belles is for ‘new generation’ women – ’its not about age, just about attitude!’, they say. The groups organises a mix of arts and crafts, social events, education and adventure for women of all ages.
The Bookmark Belles will meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, and the first meeting is November 21st.
Venue: function room at The George Inn 102 Felpham Road, Felpham, PO22 7PL
Time: 7.30-9.30pm
Price: £2 per visit plus a drink and/or food if you want it.
For more info: contact kathryn@blakebelles.co.uk
Buy a copy of ROOK from Waterstone’s online (currently 30% off RRP)
Or order from your local bookshop: ROOK by Jane Rusbridge ( Bloomsbury Circus, 2012)
READ OPENING on Bloomsbury’s website
‘Rusbridge’s fine perceptions of the natural world, the way her writing is steeped in the landscape, history and culture of West Sussex, help define her as a talented new regional voice’
September 29, 2012
What are your tenuous connections? Win a signed first-edition copy of ROOK in ‘Top Tenuous’ Competition
I met Jackie Buxton several years ago on an Arvon course at Lumb Bank, Heptonstall in West Yorkshire, when I was still struggling to write my first novel, The Devil’s Music.
Here we are leaving the launch party for ROOK this summer, held at Bloomsbury’s home in Bedford Square, London. This picture tells you a great deal about Jackie’s inspirational zest for life: she’s travelled all the way down from Harrogate on crutches, with a smashed knee cap, so as not to miss the celebratiions.
You’ll spot Jackie’s name in the acknowledgements for ROOK . She should really have been mentioned twice, because she not only worked on early drafts of a large chunk of the opening section of the novel with me, but she also provided all the detailed I needed on running. (Nora, my main character runs, and I do NOT).
Jackie has recently interviewed me for CHASE magazine, http://preview.tinyurl.com/9h53n48 (pgs 48-52) and she is also running a ‘Top Tenuous Competition’ for you to win a signed first edition copy of ROOK.
SO … all you have to do, whoever you are, however little or well you know me – is to pop over to her blog, Agenthood and Submissionville and tell her your most tenuous connections to me, Sussex, rooks, Bosham or event King Cnut. We are both looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
DEADLINE: Answers by midnight October 5th, please. HERE
More photos from ROOK‘s London Launch, August 2012, 50, Bedford Square
September 16, 2012
Canada Water Library:private event for librarians
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I'm delighted to have been invited, as an old CHSG girl, to talk to the Independent Schools’ Librarians Group when they visit the impressive Canada Water Library. This new library, completed at the end of the last year, is designed by Piers Gough and stocked with 40,000 brand new books. I'm going to be leading a ‘fun’ informal session on the impact of memory on writing before we are given a formal tour of the Library.
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September 14, 2012
GOING DIGITAL: Social Networking & Digital Marketing for Writers
Jane Rusbridge will be speaking at a social networking seminar with PR expert Lucy Middleton, and novelist Annemarie Neary with Vicky Grut (chair) at a London Writing Workshop in October.
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A new departure for London Writing Workshops, this half-day seminar led by PR expert Lucy Middleton is an opportunity for writers to look at the challenges and opportunities of the digital environment.
Writers are increasingly involved in promoting their work – whether they’re self-publishing, or working with a small or a mainstream publisher. The seminar will look at ways that traditional PR techniques can be reinvented, as well as exploring the online tools that allow writers to connect directly with their readers and build new audiences for their work.
Novelists Jane Rusbridge (The Devil’s Music, Bloomsbury 2010, and Rook, Bloomsbury Circus, summer 2012) and Annemarie Neary (A Parachute in the Lime Tree, the History Press, March 2012) will be on hand to talk about their experiences of promoting new books in 2012. (Click on the authors’ names to see their bios.) The seminar will be followed by drinks and networking for participants and speakers.
Lucy Middleton has been in PR, Marketing and Advertising for over 20 years, working with Blue Chip companies as well as small to medium-sized enterprises. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has lectured in Marketing Theory at several academic institutions, including the MBA course at Cambridge University’s Judge Management Institute. She specializes in advising companies on their Social Networking Marketing Strategy as well as Strategic Branding Solutions and Crisis PR.
Cost: £46 includes a handout on Digital Marketing for Writers, tea/coffee break and a free drink at the end. Group limit: 30.
The seminar will be followed by networking/drinks.
Find out about more London Writing Workshops
September 13, 2012
Guildford Book Festival
I’m delighted to be invited to the Guildford Book Festival , which runs from 18-26th October, for ‘Authors on Our Doorstep.’
Time: 4pm
Price:£4.50 (including tea and cake)
BOOK HERE soon, to get a good seat!
More information on Guildford Book Festival
Also on the panel will be thriller writers Meg Gardiner and Felix Riley; Liam Bell Murray and actor-turned-author John Gordon Sinclair, whose novels are rooted in Ireland’s Troubles; and first-time author Barbara Mutch, whose route to publication was rather unusual.
Peter Guttridge will talk briefly to and about all the authors and then open up the floor. The audience will have plenty of opportunity to mingle and continue discussions on a one-to-one basis … while enjoying tea and cake.
The Electric Theatre Café Bar is situated in the heart of Guildford’s town centre and has riverside terrace seating. Sounds perfect.
If you’d like to read ROOK before coming along, so that you can ask me questions about it, Amazon have a Seasonal Offer which will save you 43% on the RRP £12.99. For a limited period, you can buy ROOK for just £7.40.
Copies of ROOK will also be in on sale on the day.
‘Rusbridge’s sympathetic and respectful handling of a sensitive issue conveys an emotional impact that resonates long after the closing pages’ Times Literary Supplement
September 12, 2012
Three Sussex Writers in Petworth
The Three Sussex Writers will visit Petworth on Friday 16th November.
‘Rusbridge’s fine perceptions of the natural world, the way her writing is steeped in the landscape, history and culture of West Sussex, help define her as a talented new regional voice’
Read Rachel Hore’s review in Book Oxygen
Alongside fellow Three Sussex Writers Isabel Ashdown and Gabrielle Kimm, I’ll be in Petworth library chatting about how the Sussex landscape inspired my latest novel, Rook, out this summer with Bloomsbury Circus. Set in Bosham, Rook explores the mystery of Harold II’s burial place and tells the stories of three women who are linked by their secrets.
Run by Petworth Library and taking place during the Petworth Literary Weekend, this is another of the Three Sussex Writers’ popular Meet-the-Author events. We all live in West Sussex and studied Creative Writing at the University of Chichester, where I also teach. We regularly team up for readings, literary festivals and creative workshops across the country, often working with local organisations to support fundraising events.
Come along with your questions – about our novels, the writing process or the journey to publication. At the event you’ll also be able to buy signed copies of our novels for the special event price of £6.00 each, or £10.oo for 2.
Date: Friday 16th November
Time: 2pm
Price: £3, to include refreshments
Tickets: From the library, High Street Petworth, GU28 0AU
Tel: The library 01798 342 274
To keep up with other author events held in your local West Sussex Libraries, you can follow West Sussex Reads on facebook
Try Before You Buy: Read an extract from ROOK on the Bloomsbury website
ROOK is available in local bookshops, and to order. IBSN: 978 1 4088 1795 7
Or online from FOYLES, Waterstones, Bloomsbury,the Guardian and Amazon
