Sarah Painter's Blog, page 7

The Language of Spells paperback, interview with Julie Cohen and a giveaway

Hello, my lovelies. How are you all doing?

This week has been both wonderful and a tiny bit stressful. Some of the stuff I can’t tell you (yet!), but I can share that my debut The Language of Spells is now out in paperback. Yay!

My author copies haven’t arrived, yet, but I’m super-excited. I can’t wait to hold my book baby in my arms (yes, writers are nuts).

The Authors For Nepal auction is winding down, having made over £13,000 (at last count). My lot has gone (thank you to all who spread the word/bid) but there’s still time to bid on the last few items.

I also finished a short novella (novelette?), and have been editing an interview I did with CL Taylor for the next episode of The Worried Writer.

Speaking of the podcast, have you listened to episode three? There’s a fun interview with Julie Cohen in which we discuss suckage, the importance of failure and knitted owls…  Click here to check it out!

So, to celebrate this random collection of news, I’m going to give away two signed copies of The Language of Spells.

To be in with a chance, just sign up for my (very occasional) newsletter. I’ll pick two names at random from my mailing list on 30th May. Thank you!

Authors For Nepal

Following the tragic earthquake in Nepal, author Julia Williams has set up a charity auction to raise money for the relief effort.

Loads of authors, editors and agents have donated fabulous prizes, including signed books, illustrations, mentoring and manuscript appraisals, book swag and more.

The auction is live on eBay  now and all funds raised will go to Earthquake Relief for Nepal which has been set up by First Steps Himalaya. The charity works closely on the ground, so the money will go where it is needed most.

And since Nepal suffered a second earthquake this week, the money being raised is more important than ever.

I’ve donated a six month mentoring package, ideal if you want hands-on support from a friendly and motivational author (me!) to achieve your creative goals. The package includes monthly email contact, three live sessions (via Skype or telephone) and up to 10,000 words of your work read/critiqued.

Whether you want to overcome self-doubt and procrastination to establish a regular writing routine, help with crafting your story and creating memorable characters, or advice on polishing your submission package,  I can help.

Please visit the auction, bid if you can, and spread the news far and wide.

Thank you!

 

Podcasting, Writing and the Joy of Rereading

It’s been a lovely sunny Easter holiday. We’ve had the first picnic of the year and even been to the beach a couple of times (which means, of course, the first outdoor fish and chips of the season – yum).

In between the fun, I’ve been busy editing and uploading my new podcast. The first episode is now live and you can subscribe in iTunes or listen via The Worried Writer site.

The first episode features an interview with YA author (and my good friend) Keris Stainton. I really hope you like it!

Writing-wise, I’ve been trying to work on a new project that just doesn’t feel right. I don’t usually hit my first, serious ‘I can’t do it’ wall until around 20,000 words, but I am seriously flailing at just 4000. I need to decide whether it’s the wrong project or the wrong idea or whether I’m just burnt out and need a little break.

Speaking of feeling a bit odd, after finishing the excellent The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, I couldn’t settle on a new book to read.

So, I decided to visit some old friends…

I used to reread a lot and it’s something I’m trying to find time to do again. It’s nice, every once in a while, to step off the ‘shiny new book’ conveyor belt (so many new books, never enough time!) and to slip between the worn covers of an old favourite.

Sometimes it’s like coming home, with everything just as I left it – and is just as comforting as that sounds. Sometimes, though, it’s deliciously unsettling; familiar stories made strange with the fresh perspective of another decade (or two) of life.

How about you? Do you like to reread books or is once enough?

[Image credit: pannawat at FreeDigitalPhotos]

Announcing The Worried Writer Podcast!

Those on my mailing list already know about this (sign up here if you’d like to be in the club!) but here’s my ‘big’ announcement…

My secret project is a brand new podcast called The Worried Writer!

If you want to write but find it hard, this podcast is for you. Every episode will be packed with practical advice and resources and, perhaps most importantly, the knowledge that you are Not Alone.

Each month I will interview an author, delving into the nitty-gritty of the creative life. We discuss how they get their writing done and how they deal with self-doubt, creative block and procrastination.

I am a self-confessed ‘worried writer’ and, on good days, I feel as if I’ve made peace with that. I work despite the self-doubt, and I’ve developed several techniques with enable me to get words on the page on a regular schedule. I want to share those tips and techniques with you, answer questions and provide support to fellow-worriers.

I also (selfishly!) want to gather more tips and advice from other writers because worry is a sneaky little beast and I have no doubt that I will need new ways to combat it in the future.

I really hope you’ll join me. The first episode will go live next week, but in the meantime here’s a short article on the value of putting process over product.

Lessons From Space

I’m reading Chris Hadfield’s book An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth at the moment and I can see why it became an international bestseller.

He’s an immensely impressive and accomplished human being, one who has (quite literally) been places and done things that the vast majority never could, but he writes in such a gently humorous and self-aware way that it utterly charms you.

In a chapter on success he talks about attitude and how it’s vital that you enjoy (or, at least, find interesting) the on-earth aspects of being an astronaut. To become an astronaut takes incredible focus, sacrifice and hard work and, even if you are one of the very few chosen, there is no guarantee of making it into space.

The life of an astronaut is endless study, physical and mental training, and performing support and research roles on earth. The point he makes is that you have to be okay with that. He consciously found the interest and satisfaction with every part of the process, so that if he didn’t get into space he would still have had a happy and successful working life.

As always, I can’t help relating *everything* to writing, and this reminded me of the journey to publication (and beyond). You spend years training (reading, writing, learning the craft) before you finish a decent, readable book, and then there is absolutely no guarantee that you will get an agent or a publishing contract. Yes, you can put stuff ‘out there’ yourself (especially these days with the advent of digital publishing) but there is no guarantee that you will find readers or become ‘successful’ (whatever that means).

Essentially, you have to love the practice. The writing and rewriting and editing. You have to love thinking up stories and sitting alone to write them down. You have to find joy in the day-to-day process because, ultimately, that’s all you have.

Even if you strike gold and become one of the super-successful authors and get invited on breakfast television and to literary festivals and have a fancy-pants book launch, those things still only take up a very small amount of time. Overall, your life remains the same; sitting on your own and putting words on the page.

Reading about the insanely vigorous and difficult (and life-threatening) work of people in the space programme, I’m just deeply grateful that my dream job is writing and not being an astronaut. Today, after all, I just have to drink tea and type some words. When you consider that a typical day for an astronaut might include putting a fighter jet through emergency manoeuvres, weightlessness training in a deep pool, or survival training in the mountains, that’s really not so hard… Perspective: Marvellous thing.

 

 

 

He’s back!

No, not Voldemort; my lovely son.

My eleven-year-old went on his school outdoor pursuits trip last week. In Scotland. In March. Yes, there was snow… And I missed him terribly. I mean, serious ‘didn’t I used to have two arms?’ missed him.

So, the weekend was spent in a contented haze, gazing at my boy (safe, alive, happy and well), and grabbing as many cuddles as I was allowed (thankfully, lots). He had a wonderful time and I’ve been reminded of how utterly blessed I am; total result.

In other news, I have been working lots. I have a secret project that is almost-ready to be revealed (subscribe to my newsletter if you want to be first to hear about it!) and I’m hoping to finish the zero draft* of a new book by the end of the month. It’s a bit of departure – probably classed as urban fantasy – and it may never make it out into the world, but I’m having too much fun to leave it half-written.

Hope you have a good week, and thanks for reading!

* Yes, most writers have ‘first drafts’. I’ve decided mine are so messy and disjointed they need to be downgraded.

 

 

 

Wordy Wednesday: Let’s Have a Cwtch

I grew up in Wales and although I went to an English-speaking school, I had lessons in Welsh up to the age of thirteen. Twenty-five years later, I have only a handful of phrases and the ability, if drunk enough, to sing the national anthem.

However, as a word-nerd, I’m grateful to have been brought up in a bilingual society and for the gems added to my vocabulary.

Today I’d like to introduce you to one of my favourites: Cwtch. The closest translation is probably ‘safe place’ but it’s most often used to mean ‘cuddle’ (when you are creating a safe place with your arms).

Here’s the pronunciation (with thanks to Forvo.com):

http://www.sarah-painter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/forvo_cy_1537683.mp3

 

It’s such an affectionate, friendly-sounding word and it takes me right back to my childhood.

Incidentally, the image is from a genius range of cards produced in Wales. You can buy online here.

Zelda Kitzgerald: A Day in the Life

I was wondering what to share with you guys this week and, truth be told, I was drawing a blank. I’ve been feeling a bit ‘meh’ and haven’t done anything of interest – unless you count shredding loads of paperwork in my continuing mission to declutter the house.

Then I remembered something very important: I have a kitten! Hurrah!

Zelda Kitzgerald continues to be a source of joy and delight. The kids love playing with her and picking her up for cuddles. Zelda is less certain about the latter activity, but bears it with good grace.

She is five months old, now, and has grown so much. Look, here she is next to my daughter’s boots at three months:

And today, hiding under my laptop stand. (I realise that another shot of her next to the boots would be best for comparison purposes, but, you know… Life.):

Zelda’s day begins at around six. She likes to announce this with a little game of ‘pat Sarah’s face’. After receiving the extensive stroking that is her due, she heads off to see if she can jump on the children. If they have (sensibly) shut their bedroom doors, she returns to my bed to play ‘pounce on the keyboard’ while I do my morning writing.

After all this exercise, Zelda is a tired kitten and she tends to settle down for a day-long nap, waking up in the late afternoon/evening for a lively round of laser-pointer tag, catch-the-humans, climb the curtains and, my particular favourite; attack thin air while making crazy-eyes.

At bedtime, she snuggles down at the bottom of the duvet and concentrates her considerable powers of cuteness on looking adorable and peaceful, thereby ensuring that she won’t be usurped and is in prime face-patting position the next morning.

It’s not a bad life…

The Life-changing Magic of Tidying

I have a tendency to get a little, um, obsessed by things and my ‘thing’ of the moment is tidying the house. This, in itself, is pretty magical. Or, if you prefer, crazy-unusual.

I love my home and my ‘stuff’ and like to keep a basically sanitary environment (clean kitchen and bathroom, hoover-up the hair balls once a week) but I’m not a great housekeeper or what you’d call anywhere near house proud.

However, over the last couple of years I’ve been feeling less comfortable and happy in my home and more ‘argh, I’m going to get buried under all this STUFF’. You know when you go to sort out a tower of clutter and just end up wandering from room to room, searching for places to put things, and then, defeated, you put the pile back down again? That.

I like to think of myself as a reasonably non-materialistic person. I don’t often shop as a recreational activity and hardly ever buy clothes for myself. However, there are four of us in a modestly-sized bungalow and I do have tiny book-buying addiction (although that counts as business-related, right?).

Add in my thrifty mindset, which has always been of the ‘make do and mend’ and ‘keep hold of it in case I need it/can upcycle it’ bent, then it’s not surprising that we ran out of places to store the clutter quite some time ago.

Even knowing all of this, I thought I was keeping on top of things fairly well. I have regular decluttering sessions and am good at passing on outgrown clothes.

I had just started one of my periodic half-hearted tidying sessions, when I heard about Marie Kondo’s The Life-changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective Way to Banish Clutter Forever via this blog. It cropped up on another of my regular reads and I took the hint from the universe and bought it.

Well. This is a short book, but it’s certainly changed my thoughts on how to tidy.

The author is sweetly bonkers but I love her positive approach. She advocates showing gratitude to your home and your possessions and letting go of those which no longer bring you joy. She recommends that you focus on the things you actively want to keep, which makes the whole exercise more enjoyable.

She also recommends that you tidy by category, rather than area of the home. You gather every single item that belongs in that category and lay it out on your bed or the floor. Kondo says that this approach will really help you to see your things afresh and help you to make decisions about them and, I have to admit, she’s right. Plus, you only have to make decisions about that category once, rather than several times as you encounter items around the house.

Anyway, I started with clothes on the weekend and managed to fill seven bin bags for the charity shop. Seven! And I haven’t even started on the children’s stuff, yet…

I’m dreading the ‘books’ category so I’m going to skip it for now and go onto paperwork. I see lots of shredding in my immediate future…

So, although it is early days, I’d definitely recommend this book/her approach. For starters,  I wouldn’t have started decluttering in the ‘hidden’ spaces of my drawers/wardrobe (I would have begun with visible surfaces) but I swear the room actually feels lighter, which makes me feel motivated about tackling the rest.

How about you? Got any tidying tips? Advice for tackling my book collection?

 

 

Friday Five: All The Books, All The Time

So far, 2015 has been really good to me reading-wise. I have enjoyed loads of great books (some of which I got for Christmas or my birthday – yay!) and, better yet, I’ve become totally immersed in them (not always possible since I made books/writing my job…)

So, here are a select few recommendations. If you’ve read anything brilliant lately, please let me know in the comments… I like to keep my to-be-read pile topped up.*

1. Yes, Please by Amy Poehler.

This is just as funny, warm and honest as I was hoping it would be. It also contains these (perfect) words on writing a book:

“Everyone lies about writing. They lie about how easy it is or how hard it was. They perpetuate a romantic idea that writing is some beautiful experience that takes place in an architectural room filled with leather novels and chai tea… The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not.  Even I have lied about writing. I have told people that writing this book has been like brushing away dirt from a fossil. What a load of shit. It’s been like hacking away at a freezer with a screwdriver.”

 

 

 

2. The Bees by Laline Paull was an excellent, unusual read. Writing a book from the point of view of a bee can’t have been an easy task, and I’m in awe of Paull’s imagination and linguistic dexterity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Definitely read the book before you see the film (which, considering that it’s a worldwide bestseller, you probably already have done). Beautifully written, bare-your-soul honest, and uplifting. Warning: It made me sob, so maybe don’t read it on public transport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley. I had never heard of this author but when my friend Stephanie Burgis recommended it I downloaded a Kindle sample and became instantly hooked. It’s a ‘time slip’ novel in which a grieving woman steps into the past while staying at a beautiful house in Cornwall. Romance! Smugglers! It’s also got a cracking plot and lots of heart; happy sigh. It definitely won’t be the last Susanna Kearsley I read…

 

 

5. And, still in progress… Story by Robert McKee. Although this seminal work on the craft of story-telling is aimed at screenwriters, it’s been recommended to me again and again by other novelists. I’m (finally) giving it a go and, so far, it’s very interesting. I bought the audiobook and am listening to it during my daily walk which is both good (multi-tasking) and bad (I can’t take notes).

 

 

 

*By ‘topped up’ I mean ‘ridiculously tall and impossibly large’.