Rosa Fedele's Blog, page 5

Developing my Lady Beatriz …

Sketching, sketching, painting, painting … trying to bring my characters to life on paper and canvas for Book Two. Will post another snippet soon (did you like the last one?) Rx

A Tidbit From Book Two

A tidbit for you, lovely readers, from the new book – raw and unedited.

“Never again was she able to look at a sparrow in the garden without a faint sickness in her stomach, without remembering the taste of its flesh.

It had been a game, she thought at first. A game, involving a cage built of wood from an old orange crate and leftover wire netting from the chicken coop. A game, which entailed her lying prone on the ground and waiting – for hours – or so it seemed to a seven year old. It was a game … and a test. A test of patience, a test of silence.

Obediently, she had rested her hand, motionless, on the end of the long string attached to the short stick which propped up the trap. The ground had begun to cool, for by then the afternoon sun had passed over, and the rough grass prickled and itched against her bare legs. A cramp started to set in her shoulder, but she dared not move. Not during the test of patience and of silence.

The bird swooped down, unmindful of the human child poised behind the wall of runner beans. Pert and alert, it hopped towards the cage. It stopped, head tilted to one side. There! The tasty crumbs from the two day old pane di casa, delicious! Hop. Hop. She held her breath. ‘Go inside, pretty little sparrow,’ she urged silently, ‘Hop, hop.’

She could feel his presence as he waited at the window, arms crossed and a wilted yellow cigarette drooping from his lip. ‘Come, pretty sparrow, do this for me,’ she begged silently. The bird paused beside the stick, head on one side, considering. Only a few centimetres, just a hands-width, no more. It sprang once again, drawn by the white morsels and in one smooth movement she yanked on the string, dislodging the prop, and the cage came down. The fluttering began, frantic and frenzied, as it threw itself against the sides, battering the wooden walls with its tiny wings, grey-brown feathers pressing urgently against the wire in its bid for freedom. Its twittering was painful to hear, but she sat beside the cage and spoke quietly to the creature, comforting and reassuring words, she thought, until eventually the sun dropped behind the fence and the yard was shrouded in shadow. Her hands reached through the wire and stroked the bird gently, her fingertips learning its smooth feathers, its quivering skin and beating heart. Skittle, she named it, Skittle the Sparrow, and childishly began to plan which ribbon she would place about its neck – a blue one, she thought, for she was sure it was a boy sparrow. And it would live in a splendid cage and be spoilt with tidbits from the pannettone in the cupboard, and would soon learn to perch on her finger. The creature eventually quietened. It didn’t touch the bread, but cowered in the corner of the box, quivering.

Her father wandered over. Dragging on his cigarette, he stood and watched them thoughtfully. She imagined he was contriving how to adapt the little trap into a birdcage, perhaps make a pedestal for it from old timber and twist an old coathanger into a makeshift swing – he was clever like that – he had a knack for making, for devising, and his hands were deft and capable. He bent over and peeled back a small hatch he had fashioned into the wire and dipped his hand into the cage. Swift and sure, his fingers closed around the creature and lifted it out. She rose up onto her knees and cupped her hands, expectant and keen to receive her tiny, new companion. But, with one movement, he grasped its body and wrenched its head, sharp and sure. She heard the crack, as its little neck broke.

She could hardly remember what happened next; there was sure to have been tears, for she was an emotional child, but she could remember what came after – sitting at the kitchen table, green Formica and a loaf of bread, pasta in a bowl and mismatched knives and forks. It was her favourite plate, the one with the dancing maidens around the edge, their full skirts swirling and garlands of flowers threaded between. And the bird was presented upon it, de-feathered and charred. Its head was still intact and its legs drawn close to its body, delicate toes curled up in a ball. When he parted the chest cavity with the sharp knife, she could see the tiny organs – the little heart which, until a few moments ago, had beat so furiously. The flesh, which felt so firm and warm and springy beneath its feathers, was grey and gamey and she chewed dully on the shred that was forced upon her. The beak was open, a lump of blackened tongue inside, and the sparrow’s blistered eyes stared reproachfully back at her.

She ought to have learned, there and then, not to grow too attached to that which she loved – not objects, not animals, not people. It was pointless. It would all be wrenched away and lost, sooner or later.”

The Red Door is well and truly launched!

It happened!

And I would like to send big hugs and love to everyone who came along to Gleebooks on Saturday and helped launched the book. Here’s a handful of photos from the day, but there’s heaps more here: Rosa Fedele Author | Artist Page

THANK YOU!!

I hope you enjoy the book. And I’d love if it you’d go on to review the book on Goodreads, Amazon or The Reading Room. Just click on the link, sign in and go hard!

Thank you, lovely readers!

Only one week in and already so many wonderful words from reviewers on Goodreads, Amazon and The Reading Room!

I am overwhelmed and grateful and wanting to give the world a great big hug!

I’m well into the second (sequel?) book and this has given me the confidence and extra boost to forge on. Thank you, you lovely readers!

I invite you to ask me questions, send me feedback or just say Hi and, of course, please feel free to also visit Goodreads, Amazon or The Reading Room and leave your own review of The Red Door.

Here I am, signing illustrative prints for you all! Bring on Saturday’s launch party! Rxx

The studio is all a-clutter …

The studio is all a-clutter. Stacks of bold, colourful prints are wrapped in crisp brown paper, waiting to be signed with a deadly sharp 5B pencil, rolled and wrapped in soft tissue, and tied with string. Sheaves of posters against the wall. Paintings and easels pushed aside to make room for the red wine and the white. And, of course, a few bottles of French – we mustn’t forget the French! Not a clean, clear surface to be seen. And you all know how I love clean, clear surfaces! Check the guest list – yes, do! – I’m sure I’ve remembered everyone. Some of my closest can’t make it on the day, which is sad, but there you go. And there I go, tripping over those boxes once again; those mountains of boxes filled with pristine new volumes, that image of my protagonist which I painted what seems like Oh! so long ago, repeated over and over on those velvety smooth book covers. The keyhole, and his eye.

And I can’t believe it all began simply because, four years ago, I happened to wander past a beautiful and mysterious old house in Glebe.

I look forward to seeing you all at the launch next Saturday, October 17 at Gleebooks. Rx

The Red Door Launch at Gleebooks

CONGRATULATIONS SARAH CHANCE!

A super big congrats to SARAH CHANCE, the winner of the final draw! Sarah, you’ve just scored a signed copy of The Red Door PLUS a signed illustrative print of your choice from the book!

Thanks to everyone who came along for the ride. Next stop: the BOOK LAUNCH at Gleebooks, Glebe (where else?) on Saturday 17th October. All details for the Launch on the Books page.

LOVE YIZ!!

 

THE RED DOOR DIRTY GREAT BIG FINAL DRAW

Thanks for joining me for The Red Door Dirty Great Big Final Draw! Here’s what happened: Video 6th Draw 1oct

This week’s winner of a signed copy of The Red Door is …

Congratulations Alan Harpley!

DOING IT IN FRENCH!

Doing it in French – avec la belle Eugenie! London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris, Split, Dubrovnik, Rome, Venice, Florence, Verona, Olbia, Berlin … just a few of the cities on Eugenie’s recently completed Grande Tour d’Europe! Merci Eugenie!

Video 5th Draw.27sept

 

DOING IT IN ITALIAN!

Buona sera! So, our Julia travels to bella Italia, immerses herself in its wonderful food, wine and culture, returning to Oz a year later a fluent and smouldering Mediterranean babe! Here she is drawing this week’s winner of a signed copy of The Red Door.

Video 4th Draw 20sept

Congratulations ANNETTE LOUISE – you are this week’s winner!