Shamini Flint's Blog
July 27, 2015
Go Set a Watchman
I was extremely reluctant to read Go Set a Watchman, firstly because of all the shenanigans that have gone on behind the scenes re the publication and secondly, because I'm one of those people who changed my own life because of To Kill a Mockingbird. When I didn't fit in anywhere as a child, school, family etc, I took courage from Scout and I always knew that I wanted to be just like Atticus when I grew up - the main reason I'm a lawyer.
And then my husband bright home a copy of the sequel thinking I would be excited and it lay on my bedside table for a few days while I debated whether to open it and tried to decide whom I would would be betraying by reading it; my younger self, Harper Lee, Atticus?
Finally, I decided to go ahead. For two reasons. (SPOILER ALERT - don't read on if you want the plot twists to surprise you although they've been in the papers!)
1. Curiosity
2. I wondered whether the key changes (Jem's death/Atticus turning out to be a racist) were a parable for our times. I became a lawyer but I'm not Atticus nor ever will be. The world we live in cries out for men and women of character but none heed the call. Perhaps, it is fitting, that an inspirational book should have a tawdry end in an unexpected sequel, its the way of humanity, after all. We're all going to be on our iPhones, Whatsapping each other about C-list celebrities, while the world ends with a whimper.
So I read Go Set a Watchman.
As I'm sure you know Watchman is being touted as a sequel with a grown up Scout returning to Maycomb County for a visit and as it turns out, confront the changes that have taken place there.
However, there are many who insist the book was merely a first draft of Mockingbird, totally re-written at the behest of the editors into the classic we all know and love. Therefore to publish the first draft is an obscene act by Harper Lee's lawyers and publishers and would never have been allowed by Harper if she was in full control of her faculties or her sister who was formerly her carer but has since died.
Having read it ...
I can assure you that this was an early draft by an enormously talented writer but still a beginner when she wrote Watchman. This book should NEVER have seen the light of day except as a lesson to would-be writers that when an editor suggests changes, they may be on to something ...
My evidence for the assertion above:
1. The actual writing demonstrates the enormous talent of Harper Lee as a wordsmith. The lyricism is still there, it's like listening to Obama when he gave the eulogy after the black church killings. An editor would have been excited to read it.
2. But the only bits that stand out and are memorable are Jean Louise's (Scout's) flashbacks to her childhood (again based on that old adage, write what you know, those sections ring true) so one can see why a top class editor would think that a book set then would be more effective than a book set during Scout's adulthood.
3. The grown-up Scout is somewhat smug and irritating and self-righteous in her 'colour blind' view of the world. What do amateur writers do when their characters aren't sympathetic enough? God knows I've done it often enough myself! We kill of someone close to the character to add depth/burden etc - a plot device in other words. So when we get to the bit where it turns out Jem is dead, I actually laughed out loud. If Harper Lee had written Mockingbird first, there was no way she could have written that section in such an offhand way, she would have sweated blood to kill off our Jem of Mockingbird.
4. There's also a brief mention of forgetting to tell Dill about Jem dying. Again, if she had written Mockingbird first, it would be completely out of character for anyone to forget to tell Dill. He would have the first person Scout ran to for comfort (after Atticus).
5. And then there's Atticus, a racist in his old age despite bringing up Scout to treat all people as equals. The story in Watchman, insofar, as there is a plot, is basically about Scout discovering that she has to take ownership of her own morality and belief system, she can no longer piggy back on Atticus as their views have diverged. She has to 'grow up'.
Again, we have a profound beginner writer's mistake - where the editor write SHOW NOT TELL in the margins in a big red pen. In Watchman, we are told how wonderful Atticus is, but we are never shown. The only major scene showing character is when he sits approvingly through a racist diatribe by some segregationist.
When Harper Lee wrote Mockingbird, she fixed this problem through and through. We don't aspire to be Atticus because we're told he's a good man. Instead, we remember him telling Jem not to shoot a mockingbird, him shooting the rabid dog, accepting payment in kind from the Cunninghams, sitting in front of the jailhouse to protect his client from a lynch mob, letting Scout be who she is, taking care of Boo, taking on the white establishment to defend a black man. That my friends is showing, not telling.
6. Characters that work in one's mind but not on paper. New writers love the idea of mysterious, erudite characters, speaking in riddles. On the page, it's damned irritating. Scout's uncle in Watchman is the sort of character a new writer pens only to discover later that he's a complete creature of fiction with no reality about him. There were no such characters in Mockingbird. The same can be said for Hank but I'm too bored to even talk about his role in Watchman.
7. The soapbox treatment. Whenever my Singh feels strongly on some subject (or I do) there is an inevitable scene in my first draft where a character will make a long speech justifying MY position on the issue. It inevitably comes out in the final edition when my editor points out that more subtle means are needed to get my point across. Harper Lee is obviously a woman with a profound sense of the wrongness of segregation despite growing up in the South. She credits Scout with these strengths - Scout too is 'colour blind' on race. But again we have Scout making angry speeches which are a lot less effective than Atticus leading by example in the rewritten version.
8. Lastly, in an attempt to justify Atticus's attitude she suggests the argument is about state rights versus federal government intervention and that he believes that integration needs time and can't be done in a twinkling because the black race is not ready. This bit sounds like a C- essay on law written by Thomas or Scalia. In Mockingbird, she ditches the politics and focuses on the ethics, as it should be.
As you can see, I was quite worked up reading this book as I usually don't bother to write reviews - too much else to write :-)
Anyway, there's good news and bad news.
The bad news is that my husband paid for the book so we have lined the pockets of the publisher. If you must read it, I am happy to post you my copy FOC (just PM me) so that we don't further this act of literary sabotage.
The good news for those who grew up with Mockingbird is that Watchman changes nothing. Nothing in it sticks or changes the way you feel about the characters. It is an early draft by a genius who then gave us the book so many of us needed growing up.
Maybe its time to try and live up to Atticus again ...
And then my husband bright home a copy of the sequel thinking I would be excited and it lay on my bedside table for a few days while I debated whether to open it and tried to decide whom I would would be betraying by reading it; my younger self, Harper Lee, Atticus?
Finally, I decided to go ahead. For two reasons. (SPOILER ALERT - don't read on if you want the plot twists to surprise you although they've been in the papers!)
1. Curiosity
2. I wondered whether the key changes (Jem's death/Atticus turning out to be a racist) were a parable for our times. I became a lawyer but I'm not Atticus nor ever will be. The world we live in cries out for men and women of character but none heed the call. Perhaps, it is fitting, that an inspirational book should have a tawdry end in an unexpected sequel, its the way of humanity, after all. We're all going to be on our iPhones, Whatsapping each other about C-list celebrities, while the world ends with a whimper.
So I read Go Set a Watchman.
As I'm sure you know Watchman is being touted as a sequel with a grown up Scout returning to Maycomb County for a visit and as it turns out, confront the changes that have taken place there.
However, there are many who insist the book was merely a first draft of Mockingbird, totally re-written at the behest of the editors into the classic we all know and love. Therefore to publish the first draft is an obscene act by Harper Lee's lawyers and publishers and would never have been allowed by Harper if she was in full control of her faculties or her sister who was formerly her carer but has since died.
Having read it ...
I can assure you that this was an early draft by an enormously talented writer but still a beginner when she wrote Watchman. This book should NEVER have seen the light of day except as a lesson to would-be writers that when an editor suggests changes, they may be on to something ...
My evidence for the assertion above:
1. The actual writing demonstrates the enormous talent of Harper Lee as a wordsmith. The lyricism is still there, it's like listening to Obama when he gave the eulogy after the black church killings. An editor would have been excited to read it.
2. But the only bits that stand out and are memorable are Jean Louise's (Scout's) flashbacks to her childhood (again based on that old adage, write what you know, those sections ring true) so one can see why a top class editor would think that a book set then would be more effective than a book set during Scout's adulthood.
3. The grown-up Scout is somewhat smug and irritating and self-righteous in her 'colour blind' view of the world. What do amateur writers do when their characters aren't sympathetic enough? God knows I've done it often enough myself! We kill of someone close to the character to add depth/burden etc - a plot device in other words. So when we get to the bit where it turns out Jem is dead, I actually laughed out loud. If Harper Lee had written Mockingbird first, there was no way she could have written that section in such an offhand way, she would have sweated blood to kill off our Jem of Mockingbird.
4. There's also a brief mention of forgetting to tell Dill about Jem dying. Again, if she had written Mockingbird first, it would be completely out of character for anyone to forget to tell Dill. He would have the first person Scout ran to for comfort (after Atticus).
5. And then there's Atticus, a racist in his old age despite bringing up Scout to treat all people as equals. The story in Watchman, insofar, as there is a plot, is basically about Scout discovering that she has to take ownership of her own morality and belief system, she can no longer piggy back on Atticus as their views have diverged. She has to 'grow up'.
Again, we have a profound beginner writer's mistake - where the editor write SHOW NOT TELL in the margins in a big red pen. In Watchman, we are told how wonderful Atticus is, but we are never shown. The only major scene showing character is when he sits approvingly through a racist diatribe by some segregationist.
When Harper Lee wrote Mockingbird, she fixed this problem through and through. We don't aspire to be Atticus because we're told he's a good man. Instead, we remember him telling Jem not to shoot a mockingbird, him shooting the rabid dog, accepting payment in kind from the Cunninghams, sitting in front of the jailhouse to protect his client from a lynch mob, letting Scout be who she is, taking care of Boo, taking on the white establishment to defend a black man. That my friends is showing, not telling.
6. Characters that work in one's mind but not on paper. New writers love the idea of mysterious, erudite characters, speaking in riddles. On the page, it's damned irritating. Scout's uncle in Watchman is the sort of character a new writer pens only to discover later that he's a complete creature of fiction with no reality about him. There were no such characters in Mockingbird. The same can be said for Hank but I'm too bored to even talk about his role in Watchman.
7. The soapbox treatment. Whenever my Singh feels strongly on some subject (or I do) there is an inevitable scene in my first draft where a character will make a long speech justifying MY position on the issue. It inevitably comes out in the final edition when my editor points out that more subtle means are needed to get my point across. Harper Lee is obviously a woman with a profound sense of the wrongness of segregation despite growing up in the South. She credits Scout with these strengths - Scout too is 'colour blind' on race. But again we have Scout making angry speeches which are a lot less effective than Atticus leading by example in the rewritten version.
8. Lastly, in an attempt to justify Atticus's attitude she suggests the argument is about state rights versus federal government intervention and that he believes that integration needs time and can't be done in a twinkling because the black race is not ready. This bit sounds like a C- essay on law written by Thomas or Scalia. In Mockingbird, she ditches the politics and focuses on the ethics, as it should be.
As you can see, I was quite worked up reading this book as I usually don't bother to write reviews - too much else to write :-)
Anyway, there's good news and bad news.
The bad news is that my husband paid for the book so we have lined the pockets of the publisher. If you must read it, I am happy to post you my copy FOC (just PM me) so that we don't further this act of literary sabotage.
The good news for those who grew up with Mockingbird is that Watchman changes nothing. Nothing in it sticks or changes the way you feel about the characters. It is an early draft by a genius who then gave us the book so many of us needed growing up.
Maybe its time to try and live up to Atticus again ...
June 20, 2013
Doing what I can ...
Dear Readers,
Like many of you, I caught the environmental bug some time back. I belatedly realised that our lifestyles are unsustainable and our children are going to inherit the mess. In a panic, I began to write books (printed on recycled/sustainable paper) about endangered species and did a lot of school visits to talk to kids about environmental issues.
Approximately five years ago I wrote a book, an environmental fantasy, called The Seeds of Time, for children aged 9-12. I wrote it to try and inspire children, the next generation, to care about the future of the planet (partly because I'd given up on us adults doing the right thing by our kids). It did pretty well, selling over 10,000 copies and is still widely available in bookshops, on online sites and as an ebook.
From the blurb:
"Honesty Smith and Spencer Jones - two ordinary children on a quest to save the planet. But is it too late for the orangutans of Borneo and the polar bears of Alaska?"
This week, we here in South East Asia, have been engulfed in unbreathable, hazardous air from the burning of the rain forests in the region.
I've been irate as I watch my children red-eyed and wheezing, shut into one air-conditioned bedroom ... unable to go outside.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I was reminded of why I wrote The Seeds of Time in the first place.
To do what I can ... I've decided to give the book away for FREE (the entire book is downloadable from Goodreads). I would really appreciate it if you read it, give it to your children to read and generally spread it as far as possible. Please share.
I hope it makes a tiny difference!
Kind regards
Shamini
PS If any teachers/educators would like bulk sets of hard copies for the kids, please let me know and I will make the necessary arrangements (while stocks last!)The Seeds Of Time
Like many of you, I caught the environmental bug some time back. I belatedly realised that our lifestyles are unsustainable and our children are going to inherit the mess. In a panic, I began to write books (printed on recycled/sustainable paper) about endangered species and did a lot of school visits to talk to kids about environmental issues.
Approximately five years ago I wrote a book, an environmental fantasy, called The Seeds of Time, for children aged 9-12. I wrote it to try and inspire children, the next generation, to care about the future of the planet (partly because I'd given up on us adults doing the right thing by our kids). It did pretty well, selling over 10,000 copies and is still widely available in bookshops, on online sites and as an ebook.
From the blurb:
"Honesty Smith and Spencer Jones - two ordinary children on a quest to save the planet. But is it too late for the orangutans of Borneo and the polar bears of Alaska?"
This week, we here in South East Asia, have been engulfed in unbreathable, hazardous air from the burning of the rain forests in the region.
I've been irate as I watch my children red-eyed and wheezing, shut into one air-conditioned bedroom ... unable to go outside.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I was reminded of why I wrote The Seeds of Time in the first place.
To do what I can ... I've decided to give the book away for FREE (the entire book is downloadable from Goodreads). I would really appreciate it if you read it, give it to your children to read and generally spread it as far as possible. Please share.
I hope it makes a tiny difference!
Kind regards
Shamini
PS If any teachers/educators would like bulk sets of hard copies for the kids, please let me know and I will make the necessary arrangements (while stocks last!)The Seeds Of Time
May 6, 2013
On the Malaysian general election ...
My take on the outcome of GE13:
We lost. A simple majority of seats went to BN, Except for Selangor, Penang and Kelantan, other states in the federation went to the BN coalition.
I actually think, if we hadn't fooled ourselves into thinking that change was possible immediately, we would be looking at this as a decent result and real progress for Pakatan. But we were swept away with a somewhat unrealistic hope and Anwar Ibrahim's sheer charisma. I know I was!
The silver lining:
1) Pakatan won the popular vote. In a first past the post the system with rural constituencies and East Malaysia given greater weightage, this didn't translate into a Parliamentary majority. But think about it, a MAJORITY of Malaysians voted for change. For those who say this was a Chinese tsunami, more than 50% of the country voted for the opposition (and the Chinese constitute 25% of the population.) This was a demand for change from all races.
2) Freedom if information. Despite the comedy level election coverage of the controlled main stream media, access to information was readily available. Anyone with a smart phone had access to ceramahs, analysis, polls and generally even handed coverage. This led to significant victories for Pakatan in urban, semi-urban and suburban seats. Lim Kit Siang did not win Gelang Patah without significant Malay support. People with sufficient information voted for change. And this can only get better as technology becomes cheaper, more widespread and more Malaysians move up the economic ladder. An irony is that BN woos the rural areas by promising development. If they deliver, well these voters will move on quickly. May I suggest a boycott of MSM?
3) Voting irregularities. Aside from all the obvious unfairness of BN's advantages in terms of money and media, who believes that the elections were not rigged on some level? However, across the country, voters were galvanized by the suggestion they were being cheated. Turnout was amazing. Engagement was high. When I persuaded myself against my better judgment to hurry to Jalan Bangkung, I discovered thousands of people had got there first. It was dramatic and encouraging act of people power. In others seats (Wong Tack in Bentong comes to mind), they got away with it. But I doubt they will again. A footnote: Bangsar residents were particularly irate because we believe Zainur Zakaria was cheated of victory a couple of elections ago.
4) States. Many of the State results were desperately close. Perak and Terengganu are borderline ungovernable. I look forward to any by-elections! Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Pahang have significant opposition. And even the usual suspects, Sabah and Johor have created a substantial and viable opposition. This is the perfect platform to build credibility with the rakyat at grassroots level by fighting the same ol' corruption and venality of the BN. This is a good platform to fix the Pakatan's weakness in extreme rural areas and bolster the outreach to Malay voters in rural areas outside the north (which seems to sum up our weakness). And the opposite end, Pakatan also hold the two wealthiest states with two third majorities. Its interesting that the two states which were well governed by Pakatan returned them convincingly and Kedah was lost. A lesson for Pakatan as well. And for those who think the sky falls every time the opposition win anything - no, they just win. And if they do badly, you get to kick them out next time.
5) MPs. Believe me, we have all the new generation quality. Lim Guan Eng, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Rafizi, Sivarasa Rasiah, Teresa Kok. Another election cycle where we have the decent people fighting for the common good while BN feathers its nest? I believe it will tell.
6) Perkasa. The divisive politics as represented by the two Perkasa candidates fielded by BN was decisively rejected and I can only thank the voters for that. We are still a moderate, Muslim country and that's something to proud of.
7) BN. The knives are out for Najib already who spent a fortune of our money scrapping for votes and actually did worse than his predecessor. Does anyone think that Muhyddin is going to lead BN to victory in GE2014?
8) Tactics. It was genius tactically to go for Johor and work hard for inroads in East Malaysia, taking the fight to BN energized the country. But, no doubt because of a lack of funds, time and media access, Pakatan lost a few seats/opportunities that it could have saved with the right resources. Wherever the leadership went, they conquered. If we'd known we were that close in Perak and Terengganu DUNs, in Cameron Highlands and Bentong etc. we could have swung them with one last visit by Anwar or LKS? A few 'wasted' opportunities ... with hindsight.
9) MCA/MIC. Goodbye. You won't be missed.
10) Mahathir. I saved the best for last! Who thinks he'll be alive or compos mentis for the next election? He and his evil brand of ego politics will be gone soon and Malaysia will be better for it. I think it will be a weight of our shoulders and we'll use that sense of freedom to vote in ever increasing numbers for change next time. And who knows, we might get a chance someday soon to watch Nurul kick Mukhriz's butt. That would be a fine retirement gift from the rakyat to Anwar Ibrahim.
All the above is subject to a number of things - whether cogent evidence arises of widespread cheating (an SPR mole, please!), whether there is any backlash against the Chinese and whether anyone in the Pakatan leadership or Bersih leadership is singled out for further displays of political brawn instead of brain. I think we know what we'll have to do then ...
Next time.
We lost. A simple majority of seats went to BN, Except for Selangor, Penang and Kelantan, other states in the federation went to the BN coalition.
I actually think, if we hadn't fooled ourselves into thinking that change was possible immediately, we would be looking at this as a decent result and real progress for Pakatan. But we were swept away with a somewhat unrealistic hope and Anwar Ibrahim's sheer charisma. I know I was!
The silver lining:
1) Pakatan won the popular vote. In a first past the post the system with rural constituencies and East Malaysia given greater weightage, this didn't translate into a Parliamentary majority. But think about it, a MAJORITY of Malaysians voted for change. For those who say this was a Chinese tsunami, more than 50% of the country voted for the opposition (and the Chinese constitute 25% of the population.) This was a demand for change from all races.
2) Freedom if information. Despite the comedy level election coverage of the controlled main stream media, access to information was readily available. Anyone with a smart phone had access to ceramahs, analysis, polls and generally even handed coverage. This led to significant victories for Pakatan in urban, semi-urban and suburban seats. Lim Kit Siang did not win Gelang Patah without significant Malay support. People with sufficient information voted for change. And this can only get better as technology becomes cheaper, more widespread and more Malaysians move up the economic ladder. An irony is that BN woos the rural areas by promising development. If they deliver, well these voters will move on quickly. May I suggest a boycott of MSM?
3) Voting irregularities. Aside from all the obvious unfairness of BN's advantages in terms of money and media, who believes that the elections were not rigged on some level? However, across the country, voters were galvanized by the suggestion they were being cheated. Turnout was amazing. Engagement was high. When I persuaded myself against my better judgment to hurry to Jalan Bangkung, I discovered thousands of people had got there first. It was dramatic and encouraging act of people power. In others seats (Wong Tack in Bentong comes to mind), they got away with it. But I doubt they will again. A footnote: Bangsar residents were particularly irate because we believe Zainur Zakaria was cheated of victory a couple of elections ago.
4) States. Many of the State results were desperately close. Perak and Terengganu are borderline ungovernable. I look forward to any by-elections! Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Pahang have significant opposition. And even the usual suspects, Sabah and Johor have created a substantial and viable opposition. This is the perfect platform to build credibility with the rakyat at grassroots level by fighting the same ol' corruption and venality of the BN. This is a good platform to fix the Pakatan's weakness in extreme rural areas and bolster the outreach to Malay voters in rural areas outside the north (which seems to sum up our weakness). And the opposite end, Pakatan also hold the two wealthiest states with two third majorities. Its interesting that the two states which were well governed by Pakatan returned them convincingly and Kedah was lost. A lesson for Pakatan as well. And for those who think the sky falls every time the opposition win anything - no, they just win. And if they do badly, you get to kick them out next time.
5) MPs. Believe me, we have all the new generation quality. Lim Guan Eng, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Rafizi, Sivarasa Rasiah, Teresa Kok. Another election cycle where we have the decent people fighting for the common good while BN feathers its nest? I believe it will tell.
6) Perkasa. The divisive politics as represented by the two Perkasa candidates fielded by BN was decisively rejected and I can only thank the voters for that. We are still a moderate, Muslim country and that's something to proud of.
7) BN. The knives are out for Najib already who spent a fortune of our money scrapping for votes and actually did worse than his predecessor. Does anyone think that Muhyddin is going to lead BN to victory in GE2014?
8) Tactics. It was genius tactically to go for Johor and work hard for inroads in East Malaysia, taking the fight to BN energized the country. But, no doubt because of a lack of funds, time and media access, Pakatan lost a few seats/opportunities that it could have saved with the right resources. Wherever the leadership went, they conquered. If we'd known we were that close in Perak and Terengganu DUNs, in Cameron Highlands and Bentong etc. we could have swung them with one last visit by Anwar or LKS? A few 'wasted' opportunities ... with hindsight.
9) MCA/MIC. Goodbye. You won't be missed.
10) Mahathir. I saved the best for last! Who thinks he'll be alive or compos mentis for the next election? He and his evil brand of ego politics will be gone soon and Malaysia will be better for it. I think it will be a weight of our shoulders and we'll use that sense of freedom to vote in ever increasing numbers for change next time. And who knows, we might get a chance someday soon to watch Nurul kick Mukhriz's butt. That would be a fine retirement gift from the rakyat to Anwar Ibrahim.
All the above is subject to a number of things - whether cogent evidence arises of widespread cheating (an SPR mole, please!), whether there is any backlash against the Chinese and whether anyone in the Pakatan leadership or Bersih leadership is singled out for further displays of political brawn instead of brain. I think we know what we'll have to do then ...
Next time.
April 29, 2013
Reading quickly v. reading slow
I've always been a quick reader. I churn through books, barely able to wait to finish a sentence to turn the page. I don't stop once I start, it doesn't matter if I read through dinner and into the wee hours of the night, waking up groggy but satisfied the next morning. I annoy the family because once I have my nose in a book, I am deaf to questions, pleas, requests for dinner. And my daughter is exactly the same. She's eleven now and to keep her in books in an impossible task. The longer the series, the thicker the book, the greater the rate of acceleration.
My son, who is eight, on the other hand plods slowly through a book. So much so, 'tiger mother' that I am, I panic that he's not going to read 'enough' if he proceeds so slowly, his vocabulary won't expand and his imagination isn't being fired by the book in his hand.
Until I sat down with him recently when he was reading. I watched him for a while and it took him an age to turn the page of the book, Five Run Away Together. So I asked him what he was thinking about as he was reading ...
It turns out he was wondering what it would be like to own a boat and whether he would have to make sure he could swim well first in case of an accident, whether islands were actually scary in real life because there might be 'savage beasts' there like crocodiles. He wasn't sure why George wanted to be a boy but he was envious that she had a dog. He'd thought to himself that if he had a dog, he'd like one like that but he hoped it would come when it was called and play with him a lot. He wasn't sure whether to have a small one or a big one, but definitely a fluffy one. He felt sorry for the boy Edgar because his parents were mean and maybe he would have been a nice kid if only they had been nice too. He thought he might have done things differently when they found the cave, maybe not stayed there the whole time but just come for a while each day. Etc, etc, etc.
No wonder it takes him an age to turn a page!
So - it turns out that there are different ways to enjoy a book and now I feel that I've not always gotten everything I could out of them because, unlike Spencer, I have never substituted my imagination for the author's. Live and learn!
My son, who is eight, on the other hand plods slowly through a book. So much so, 'tiger mother' that I am, I panic that he's not going to read 'enough' if he proceeds so slowly, his vocabulary won't expand and his imagination isn't being fired by the book in his hand.
Until I sat down with him recently when he was reading. I watched him for a while and it took him an age to turn the page of the book, Five Run Away Together. So I asked him what he was thinking about as he was reading ...
It turns out he was wondering what it would be like to own a boat and whether he would have to make sure he could swim well first in case of an accident, whether islands were actually scary in real life because there might be 'savage beasts' there like crocodiles. He wasn't sure why George wanted to be a boy but he was envious that she had a dog. He'd thought to himself that if he had a dog, he'd like one like that but he hoped it would come when it was called and play with him a lot. He wasn't sure whether to have a small one or a big one, but definitely a fluffy one. He felt sorry for the boy Edgar because his parents were mean and maybe he would have been a nice kid if only they had been nice too. He thought he might have done things differently when they found the cave, maybe not stayed there the whole time but just come for a while each day. Etc, etc, etc.
No wonder it takes him an age to turn a page!
So - it turns out that there are different ways to enjoy a book and now I feel that I've not always gotten everything I could out of them because, unlike Spencer, I have never substituted my imagination for the author's. Live and learn!
April 22, 2013
Writing books in a Series
I write in series more often than not. I started with the 'Sasha' series of travel picture books, moved on to the 'Inspector Singh' series of crime novels and am now immersed in the sports 'Diaries' featuring Marcus, the world's worst sportsperson.
And as an author, I love doing so. There are various reasons for this, some good, some bad!
1. Familiarity with the central character. There is something very comforting in starting up a new document in Word but already knowing something about the central character. It's like meeting an old friend and yet suspecting that you're going to discover new quirks and habits as you get to know him/her even better.
2. Assuages the fear factor. I find beginning a new book absolutely terrifying. I have no idea what to write, only some half-baked ideas thats seemed good in the middle of the night but unworthy in the clear backlighting of my Mac in the morning. I would probably not overcome writer's block ever if it wasn't for the commonalities with previous books in the series that give me courage to begin.
3. Why let a good idea go to waste? I have to confess that I did not write the first book of any of the series mentioned above knowing upfront that they were going to be the first book in a series. However, when I enjoyed the process or writing the first one and they were well-received, it seemed a waste not to keep going ...
4. Laziness. I do fear that, because I am in my comfort zone writing sequels, that I occasionally eschew a new idea or a new project. I would hate to be lazy, to abandon a new dish and settle for seconds. After all, it might be the beginning of a whole new series!
5. Publishers. They really do love sequels as much as owners of movie character franchises. However creative you're feeling as a writer, there is enormous pressure to deliver the next one rather than a new one.
6. Readers. Once readers and the writer have developed a fondness for a character, it is very difficult to walk away and not write another one. It seems such an unfriendly thing to do. As many of my characters are somewhat autobiographical, it smacks of self-hatred too!
Have I left anything out? Let me know why you enjoy writing or reading series or prefer standalone books ...
With best wishes
Shamini
Shamini Flint
And as an author, I love doing so. There are various reasons for this, some good, some bad!
1. Familiarity with the central character. There is something very comforting in starting up a new document in Word but already knowing something about the central character. It's like meeting an old friend and yet suspecting that you're going to discover new quirks and habits as you get to know him/her even better.
2. Assuages the fear factor. I find beginning a new book absolutely terrifying. I have no idea what to write, only some half-baked ideas thats seemed good in the middle of the night but unworthy in the clear backlighting of my Mac in the morning. I would probably not overcome writer's block ever if it wasn't for the commonalities with previous books in the series that give me courage to begin.
3. Why let a good idea go to waste? I have to confess that I did not write the first book of any of the series mentioned above knowing upfront that they were going to be the first book in a series. However, when I enjoyed the process or writing the first one and they were well-received, it seemed a waste not to keep going ...
4. Laziness. I do fear that, because I am in my comfort zone writing sequels, that I occasionally eschew a new idea or a new project. I would hate to be lazy, to abandon a new dish and settle for seconds. After all, it might be the beginning of a whole new series!
5. Publishers. They really do love sequels as much as owners of movie character franchises. However creative you're feeling as a writer, there is enormous pressure to deliver the next one rather than a new one.
6. Readers. Once readers and the writer have developed a fondness for a character, it is very difficult to walk away and not write another one. It seems such an unfriendly thing to do. As many of my characters are somewhat autobiographical, it smacks of self-hatred too!
Have I left anything out? Let me know why you enjoy writing or reading series or prefer standalone books ...
With best wishes
Shamini
Shamini Flint
April 21, 2013
About TEN
Growing up in Kuantan in Malaysia, with a bizarre soccer obsession fueled by late night live telecasts of World Cup matches, it was inevitable, I suppose that I would eventually write TEN.
Of all my books, this is my favorite, the closest to being autobiographical and the one that was most difficult to write.
I recently did a short video of my daughter, Sasha, playing football (like all thwarted parents, I am trying to live my dreams through my children - I know, bad idea!)
At the suggestion of some teachers who use the book in school, I turned it into a video about Maya, the heroine of TEN. Hope you like it!
http://youtu.be/PaO8JQZzgu0
Shamini Flint
Of all my books, this is my favorite, the closest to being autobiographical and the one that was most difficult to write.
I recently did a short video of my daughter, Sasha, playing football (like all thwarted parents, I am trying to live my dreams through my children - I know, bad idea!)
At the suggestion of some teachers who use the book in school, I turned it into a video about Maya, the heroine of TEN. Hope you like it!
http://youtu.be/PaO8JQZzgu0
Shamini Flint
