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Well, what got me about the length of time between the two books is why wasn't the publisher jumping up and down saying where's the book!
Frequently, our writers group has been told by writers that they are producing a book a year. Those part-time with small publishers longer.
Allowing time for the rest of the process you're probably looking at 2 years between books.
Yet she has been seven years, that's at least five years in the writing.
Perhaps she has been writing part-time, but it still seems a long time between books to me.
Especially when you frequently hear the need to have your second book in mind to prove to potential publishers and agents that you are not a one book wonder.
(The publisher is Hamish Hamilton, part of Penguin group)
There was a three-quarter page plus photograph of her in The Times yesterday. But forget the blurb of people whose job it is to sell the idea of the Booker Prize every year.
Far more interesting at the bottom was an interview (plus photo) with Fay Weldon who had something significant to say, briefly this...
We girls now have our cake of Equality, and it is pointless to winge if we cannot sit at home and eat it.
TT, I thought that as well, but considered I might be being too cynical!! I had a look at more reports and discovered she was a student doing a creative writing course (length unknown). She was also quoted as saying she's a very slow writer.
Patty, I saw the item by Fay Weldon but didn't have time to read it.
Fay Weldon drumming on about equality for women again. What about us men? The Orange Prize among a few other notable ones are for women writers only and I don't recall any recent prizes that is for men only!! As for the Booker Prize, I have given up following its final shortlist as an obscure or historical novel usually wins it for being different and the truly deserving ones don't!
Hang on! I'm not talking about this book because I've not read it. But if any book takes one year, seven years, or even twenty five years to write, and it's good - so what?
Neil, I'm sure it's been well written, but can you honestly see other hardworking writers who have been published, being able to get away with taking seven years to produce their second book?
We are constantly being told that our job in this industry is to produce the goods regularly.
Publishing is a commercial industry, and many of them have shareholders who expect their dividends each year.
I am looking forward to reading the book. I read her first many years ago - Hullaballoo in the Guava Orchard - it was very funny. Having won the Booker, this one promises to be even better. Has anyone read all Booker Prize winners? The only won I've read is Arundhati Roy.
The 1992 winner 'Sacred Hunger' by Barry Unsworth. A brilliant book about the eighteenth century slave trade.
Margaret Forster wrote at the time:
"The real triumph is not only to have us in suspense but also to evoke a sense of time and place so strong that it's as though we were provided with actual photographs, maps and sound effects."
An irony isn't it that the 'blockbuster' -airport fiction- beach reads, that are actually the popular choice rarely win plaudits. Only the difficult to read and digest, so called meaningful books do.
I am with Dorothy here. I read to be drawn into an exciting, different world with interesting characters and pacey plot. I have read a few of the Booker books and whilst they may be well written, I haven't enjoyed them as much as Mo Hayder , Mark Billingham, PJ Tracey, Harlan Coben, Nelson Demille etc. I don't like reading to be hard work. I like it to be fun.
I don't know what it is about prize-winning Booker books that makes people think they are difficult to read. The Life of Pi, for example, has to be one of the most 'unputdownable' books ever written.
It depends what your friend means, d/d, in saying she likes to come out of a bookshop 'with something unusual'. Some very odd types hang around the magazines - you could catch anything!!
The only winning Booker Prize novel I had ever brought was 'English Passengers' by Matthew Kneale and it's still sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read!!
My publisher (Macmillan) wants a book from me every year - no arguments. In fact, there was even semi-serious discussion about TWO books a year, but I think we agreed that was a bit too much like hard work! My books are Clancy-ish global thrillers, and long - 100,000 words plus.
As for the Booker prize-winners, I'm right behind Dorothy. I read for enjoyment, and the few Booker-type books I've ever tried have been, frankly, both boring and hard work, and I've never got close to finishing even one of them. I've no doubt all of these books say something profound about the human condition or whatever, but as somebody once said - if I want a message, I'll call Western Union.
Booker winners / shortlisters are often excellent reads too - I think these are worth a try if you haven't read them yet:
'The Line of Beauty' by Alan Hollingsworth
'Oscar & Lucinda' by Peter Carey
'Last Orders' by Graham Swift
'Midnight's Children' by Salman Rushdie
'Time's Arrow' by Martin Amis
'Amsterdam' by Ian McEwan
'Electric Michaelangelo' (sorry can't remember author, shorlist a couple of years ago)
But some I've given up on too! These include 'Vernon God Little' by DCB Pierre and 'Paddy Clarke Ha Ha' by Roddy Doyle.
TT, saw you were having a bad moment, hoped it would lighten the mood- and avoid Webbo's ire.
I know it's just how you feel at the moment, and we all get them! Not a problem.
Comments
Frequently, our writers group has been told by writers that they are producing a book a year. Those part-time with small publishers longer.
Allowing time for the rest of the process you're probably looking at 2 years between books.
Yet she has been seven years, that's at least five years in the writing.
Perhaps she has been writing part-time, but it still seems a long time between books to me.
Especially when you frequently hear the need to have your second book in mind to prove to potential publishers and agents that you are not a one book wonder.
(The publisher is Hamish Hamilton, part of Penguin group)
Far more interesting at the bottom was an interview (plus photo) with Fay Weldon who had something significant to say, briefly this...
We girls now have our cake of Equality, and it is pointless to winge if we cannot sit at home and eat it.
Patty, I saw the item by Fay Weldon but didn't have time to read it.
We are constantly being told that our job in this industry is to produce the goods regularly.
Publishing is a commercial industry, and many of them have shareholders who expect their dividends each year.
Commercialism is run by the Rule book... unless you are powerful enough to throw out the book when it suits you?
Margaret Forster wrote at the time:
"The real triumph is not only to have us in suspense but also to evoke a sense of time and place so strong that it's as though we were provided with actual photographs, maps and sound effects."
I am with Dorothy here. I read to be drawn into an exciting, different world with interesting characters and pacey plot. I have read a few of the Booker books and whilst they may be well written, I haven't enjoyed them as much as Mo Hayder , Mark Billingham, PJ Tracey, Harlan Coben, Nelson Demille etc. I don't like reading to be hard work. I like it to be fun.
As for the Booker prize-winners, I'm right behind Dorothy. I read for enjoyment, and the few Booker-type books I've ever tried have been, frankly, both boring and hard work, and I've never got close to finishing even one of them. I've no doubt all of these books say something profound about the human condition or whatever, but as somebody once said - if I want a message, I'll call Western Union.
'The Line of Beauty' by Alan Hollingsworth
'Oscar & Lucinda' by Peter Carey
'Last Orders' by Graham Swift
'Midnight's Children' by Salman Rushdie
'Time's Arrow' by Martin Amis
'Amsterdam' by Ian McEwan
'Electric Michaelangelo' (sorry can't remember author, shorlist a couple of years ago)
But some I've given up on too! These include 'Vernon God Little' by DCB Pierre and 'Paddy Clarke Ha Ha' by Roddy Doyle.
I know it's just how you feel at the moment, and we all get them! Not a problem.