Debbie Robson's Blog, page 10
August 7, 2010
Piazzas and squares and my front cover!
Here is the front cover of Crossing paths and I am so happy with it.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid...
The photo is a wonderful shot of St Marks Square Venice, which although it doesn't feature in the novel, the photograph itself brings to mind so much of what I wanted it to convey: people - by themselves, in groups, intersecting, brushing past each other and of course crossing paths.
Although my main character Jane never goes to Venice she does visit three wonderful piazzas and several squares. The main square is Omonoia Square in Athens and two smaller unnamed squares in Paris and Verona.
She also visits three famous piazzas - Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Piazza delle Erbe in Verona and Piazza San Carlo in Turin.
Here's to Italy and Mary Celeste Press!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid...
The photo is a wonderful shot of St Marks Square Venice, which although it doesn't feature in the novel, the photograph itself brings to mind so much of what I wanted it to convey: people - by themselves, in groups, intersecting, brushing past each other and of course crossing paths.
Although my main character Jane never goes to Venice she does visit three wonderful piazzas and several squares. The main square is Omonoia Square in Athens and two smaller unnamed squares in Paris and Verona.
She also visits three famous piazzas - Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Piazza delle Erbe in Verona and Piazza San Carlo in Turin.
Here's to Italy and Mary Celeste Press!
July 31, 2010
Everything is coming together!
I had a very successful day today at Angus & Robertson bookstore in the Hunter Street Mall, Newcastle. Sold 11 copies of Tomaree, all but two of the last copies they have in stock, which is wonderful and I am in negotiations with two of the stores to conduct book signings for Crossing Paths before Christmas! I am one of their favourite authors for signings.
My publisher is also in the process of mocking up the cover for Crossing Paths and it is looking great!
And thirdly, I am just in the process of securing one of three very important literary permissions to feature several poems and prose in Crossing Paths. This first one is for the use of the wonderful Kenneth Fearing poem "Love 20c the First Quarter Mile". I have also received more than half the permissions back from my bcers.
Everything is definitely coming together!
Stay tuned.
My publisher is also in the process of mocking up the cover for Crossing Paths and it is looking great!
And thirdly, I am just in the process of securing one of three very important literary permissions to feature several poems and prose in Crossing Paths. This first one is for the use of the wonderful Kenneth Fearing poem "Love 20c the First Quarter Mile". I have also received more than half the permissions back from my bcers.
Everything is definitely coming together!
Stay tuned.
July 13, 2010
Meeting All My Helpers
Crossing Paths, my novel that is to be published in September, is unusual in that although it is a work of fiction, it is inspired by a real online book club and 40 real BookCrossers feature in the manuscript.
When I first started researching and writing the novel a lot of BookCrossers were helping me with my research and rather than make up BC names for the countless journal entries that were beginning to be a feature in the book, I asked my helpers if they would like a journal entry. Along the way 40 said yes.
Four years later I have been able to recontact all but four of my helpers. Some I still write to regularly and one day I would like to meet all of them including a lot of others that although they don't appear in the book helped me by answering often bizarre questions about places such as Lake Shawnigan and Turin; the traffic in Paris and a magnificent hotel in Looe, to name but a few. They will be listed in the acknowledgements along with a lot of other people not associated with bookcrossing.com
Here's to us getting together one day!
Debbie
When I first started researching and writing the novel a lot of BookCrossers were helping me with my research and rather than make up BC names for the countless journal entries that were beginning to be a feature in the book, I asked my helpers if they would like a journal entry. Along the way 40 said yes.
Four years later I have been able to recontact all but four of my helpers. Some I still write to regularly and one day I would like to meet all of them including a lot of others that although they don't appear in the book helped me by answering often bizarre questions about places such as Lake Shawnigan and Turin; the traffic in Paris and a magnificent hotel in Looe, to name but a few. They will be listed in the acknowledgements along with a lot of other people not associated with bookcrossing.com
Here's to us getting together one day!
Debbie
July 2, 2010
To All Corners of the Globe
Just posted off what should be the second last lot of letters to my BookCrossing helpers. Chapters and release forms have gone out to Greece, France, Belgium, Australia, USA, the UK and Canada.
One helper wrote back saying that the journal entry at the end of the chapter didn't seem to have anything to do with the chapter itself. I wrote back to say that yes, it appears that way as most of the journal entries generally refer to something that is about to happen rather than what has just happened. The whole novel is actually like a large jigsaw puzzle.
In Crossing Paths, 52 books are journalled and/or released. The BookCrossers are generally from geographical locations that feature in the storyline and sometimes the journal entries are actually clues to what is troubling some of the main characters. I have had a lot of fun deciding the fate of those 52 books and the three starring books are: If On a Winter's Night a Traveller, Tell Me the Truth About Love and The Loving Spirit.
One helper wrote back saying that the journal entry at the end of the chapter didn't seem to have anything to do with the chapter itself. I wrote back to say that yes, it appears that way as most of the journal entries generally refer to something that is about to happen rather than what has just happened. The whole novel is actually like a large jigsaw puzzle.
In Crossing Paths, 52 books are journalled and/or released. The BookCrossers are generally from geographical locations that feature in the storyline and sometimes the journal entries are actually clues to what is troubling some of the main characters. I have had a lot of fun deciding the fate of those 52 books and the three starring books are: If On a Winter's Night a Traveller, Tell Me the Truth About Love and The Loving Spirit.
June 30, 2010
New Book Signing
I have just been asked by Angus & Robertson, Newcastle to do another book signing on Saturday, 31st July. I am excited already!
I now have only eight bookcrossers to contact regarding release forms so I'm finally making progress. I also had a delightful afternoon last Sunday interviewing Vera Deacon. She is 84 and a former resident of the lost islands of Newcastle. She has lived on two of them - Dempsey and Mosquito. They no longer exist - buried under BHPs new site. 1920s Newcastle really is another world.
I now have only eight bookcrossers to contact regarding release forms so I'm finally making progress. I also had a delightful afternoon last Sunday interviewing Vera Deacon. She is 84 and a former resident of the lost islands of Newcastle. She has lived on two of them - Dempsey and Mosquito. They no longer exist - buried under BHPs new site. 1920s Newcastle really is another world.
June 9, 2010
Chasing Bookcrossers
Quite some time ago on Bookcrossing I wrote an article entitled "I Catch Bookcrossers Not Books", well I'm at it again. I am contacting 40 of my 62 odd helpers for their permission to use their bc name in chapters and in journal entries and so far I have 22 of the 40.
I know some will be hard if not impossible to trace and with the deadline looming I can only do my best. All those I can't contact I will be putting in the acknowledgements and for release permission seeking some stand-ins and I have many. I am keeping my fingers crossed though that I'll be able to contact nearly all.
Will update on my progress soon.
I know some will be hard if not impossible to trace and with the deadline looming I can only do my best. All those I can't contact I will be putting in the acknowledgements and for release permission seeking some stand-ins and I have many. I am keeping my fingers crossed though that I'll be able to contact nearly all.
Will update on my progress soon.
May 26, 2010
Skive Magazine
The ebook Skive Future Magazine is up and I've just finished my review. See my books for details. Now begins the task of contacting the 40 bookcrossers whose bc names appear in Crossing Paths. Going through my emails from 2004, 2005 and 2006 I just couldn't believe how wonderful and helpful everyone was and all the well wishes I received. I sincerely hope my readers enjoy reading Crossing Paths as much as I did writing it.
May 22, 2010
Skive Magazine
I am so excited! An excerpt of (a chapter set in Athens) Crossing Paths is going to be featured in Skive Magazine Future, June 2010.
http://www.skivemagazine.com
I will update when the the Mazagine is online.
http://www.skivemagazine.com
I will update when the the Mazagine is online.
April 25, 2010
Bookcrossing Novel
I have decided to regularly upload excerpts from my manuscript "Crossing Paths". I'm going to concentrate, for the moment at least on the releases.
Here's how one of my characters, a New Age writer named Jonathan Fairlight, discovers Bookcrossing at Polruan in Cornwall.
"While eating his lunch Jonathan couldn’t help staring at the woman opposite him. She seemed vaguely familiar. Where had he seen her? He was about to give up on the puzzle when he noticed that she had stood up and was walking towards him. She had left a book behind on her table. He got up to move to the back of the teashop to retrieve it when she stopped suddenly at his table and placed another book down near his left hand. He paused to try and read the title but it was upside down and in that moment she was off again, walking out of the teashop. He turned around and grabbed the book from his table and followed her outside into the warm sunshine. Jonathan stopped still and called out,
‘You left your book behind and another one too I believe.’ He watched as she turned to him slowly, in a rather aggrieved fashion.
‘Don’t worry about the other one. What’s it say on the front of the one you’re holding,’ she asked tiredly.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘What does the post-it note say on the front?’
Jonathan raised his eyebrows in surprise and bafflement.
‘What does it say?’ she repeated.
He looked down at the book in his hands. ‘It says, ‘Hi! I’m free. I’m a Bookcrossing book. See inside for details.’ Jonathan read this out slowly and clearly, feeling like a schoolboy.
‘It’s for you.’
Jonathan quickly read the title: 1979: A Big Year in a Small Town and the blurb on the back. It appeared the book was about a young schoolgirl’s coming of age in a small Scottish fishing village.
‘I don’t think so. You must have made a mistake. I mean this book….’
‘It’s for you to take home. I think you may know of someone to give it to.’ And with this she was off towards the quay where he noticed the ferry had returned and was churning towards the wharf.
He ran to catch up with her and as he came up beside her, he remembered where he had seen her: at Mr Bistro with Melloney. She had been two tables away. So the book was for Melloney.
‘I remember you from Mr. Bistro. You heard us talking? So you’re not psychic.’ He voiced the idea that had been running through his head a moment before.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that.’ With this remark she bustled onto the ferry, leaving Jonathan standing bemused, laughing until he remembered his half finished pot of tea and his quiche, which was probably cold by now. He returned to his table having missed by just a minute, an American woman pick up the other book, remarking to her husband, ‘Honey, would you look at this! It’s a Bookcrossing book. Why don’t I take it back home? Won’t that be fun!’
‘They’ll get a heck of a surprise when they see where it’s got to!’ her husband answered. Both of them laughed happily as they left the teashop with Jonathan passing them as he went back in."
Here's how one of my characters, a New Age writer named Jonathan Fairlight, discovers Bookcrossing at Polruan in Cornwall.
"While eating his lunch Jonathan couldn’t help staring at the woman opposite him. She seemed vaguely familiar. Where had he seen her? He was about to give up on the puzzle when he noticed that she had stood up and was walking towards him. She had left a book behind on her table. He got up to move to the back of the teashop to retrieve it when she stopped suddenly at his table and placed another book down near his left hand. He paused to try and read the title but it was upside down and in that moment she was off again, walking out of the teashop. He turned around and grabbed the book from his table and followed her outside into the warm sunshine. Jonathan stopped still and called out,
‘You left your book behind and another one too I believe.’ He watched as she turned to him slowly, in a rather aggrieved fashion.
‘Don’t worry about the other one. What’s it say on the front of the one you’re holding,’ she asked tiredly.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘What does the post-it note say on the front?’
Jonathan raised his eyebrows in surprise and bafflement.
‘What does it say?’ she repeated.
He looked down at the book in his hands. ‘It says, ‘Hi! I’m free. I’m a Bookcrossing book. See inside for details.’ Jonathan read this out slowly and clearly, feeling like a schoolboy.
‘It’s for you.’
Jonathan quickly read the title: 1979: A Big Year in a Small Town and the blurb on the back. It appeared the book was about a young schoolgirl’s coming of age in a small Scottish fishing village.
‘I don’t think so. You must have made a mistake. I mean this book….’
‘It’s for you to take home. I think you may know of someone to give it to.’ And with this she was off towards the quay where he noticed the ferry had returned and was churning towards the wharf.
He ran to catch up with her and as he came up beside her, he remembered where he had seen her: at Mr Bistro with Melloney. She had been two tables away. So the book was for Melloney.
‘I remember you from Mr. Bistro. You heard us talking? So you’re not psychic.’ He voiced the idea that had been running through his head a moment before.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that.’ With this remark she bustled onto the ferry, leaving Jonathan standing bemused, laughing until he remembered his half finished pot of tea and his quiche, which was probably cold by now. He returned to his table having missed by just a minute, an American woman pick up the other book, remarking to her husband, ‘Honey, would you look at this! It’s a Bookcrossing book. Why don’t I take it back home? Won’t that be fun!’
‘They’ll get a heck of a surprise when they see where it’s got to!’ her husband answered. Both of them laughed happily as they left the teashop with Jonathan passing them as he went back in."
February 4, 2010
A New Start
Just began a new novel yesterday and it is so exciting to be back. I'm hoping that it will be short, almost a novella and quick to read. That is actually very important with the type of novel I'm writing. It's set in 1921 and I am now beginning to dive into that decade and totally immerse myself. Now where did I put my time machine?
Right now David Lambert has it and he has travelled ahead to 2500 to a tropical but decimated London (A Scientific Romance). I'll see if I can borrow it later.
Right now David Lambert has it and he has travelled ahead to 2500 to a tropical but decimated London (A Scientific Romance). I'll see if I can borrow it later.
