Category: Reading

15/7/2014

Draft 3 finished!

Illustration from the lovely http://inkygirl.com/

I have just finished draft 3 of The Book of Thoth, and I am quite happy with it now. The word count is still just under 139,000, and I don't think I will make any more substantial cuts.
In early April, I will be getting the final feedback from my reader, and draft 4 will therefore take her comments into account; I will also be preparing the manuscript for typesetting.

Now that the writing and editing of The Book of Thoth is almost complete, I need to put my publisher's hat back on and get on with several important tasks:
1. Prepare my Arts Council Grant documents to fund the research and publication of my third book, The Right Place. I need to do a budget for that... I foresee headaches.
2. Get the Arcane Publishing online shop up and running, which is not a minor task for a technophobe like myself!
3. Research events and markets where I could promote and sell books!

PS: The illustration is here in some kind of ironic way. I always say that if I had the opportunity to land an agent and a "traditional" publisher (with a nice contract!), I would give it a good go before I dismissed it as "not for me". I want to make a living out of my writing, and at the moment, the self-publishing path is not ideal. Also, I like the creative side of things, not the marketing/business one, which I tackle rather reluctantly.

10/1/2014

New books!

And some more books we've just acquired!
Following up on the topic of theatre actresses, here's Ellen Terry, probably the most famous of them all!

The next one is something quite special.
Letters from Cythera is written by Jaz Coleman, the frontman of cult post-punk band Killing Joke, but also a well-respected classical composer, and thinker. The hefty volume, which delves into the ideas, belief systems and inspiration behind all of Coleman's music, is accompanied by The Island, a CD of music Coleman himself describes as "romantic minimalism" and composed by him. It was recorded in 1996 in New Zealand with the Auckland Philarmonic Orchestra but was lost for over a decade.
Both the book and the music were inspired by and created in the remote South Pacific island Coleman owns - which is rather apt as I am still reading Jordan Reyne's Remembering the Dead, set mostly in a New Zealand forest.
Learn more about the project HERE.

The design on the project was done by Mike Coles, the design genius behind Killing Joke's most iconic visuals.

12/12/2013

Now reading...

Ok, I couldn't wait until the holidays, so I've started it.
It is beautifully written, atmospheric and quite gripping...

10/9/2013

First details about 2013 Shorelines: Festival of Literature of the sea

The first details about the fab literary festival that will take place in Leigh-on-Sea in November have been released! It is organised by arts organisation Metal and curated by artist and author Rachel Lichtenstein.

It is "a small, intelligent and thought-provoking festival. It takes place in various outdoor and indoor venues at the heart of the fishing community of Leigh-on-sea on the banks of Thames Estuary, at the point where it officially becomes ‘open sea’. This unique festival aims to provoke discussion, re-awaken senses, excite the adventurous spirit and explore new literature about the sea."

I will be involved in this event but cannot say anything until everything has been confirmed!
In the meantime, I will keep posting updates here, on the Arcane Publishing website and on Facebook.
For more details, go to THE SHORELINES PAGE ON METAL'S WEBSITE.

"Highlights in 2013 include: multi-award winning nature writer, Robert MacFarlane (current chair of the Booker Prize) on Britain’s most dangerous path, the Broomway; Mercury Award winning folk singer, Sam Lee bringing his own take on sea shanties; pop historian Travis Elborough (Wish You Were Here) on the British Seaside; Man Booker shortlisted author Deborah Levy with Swimming Home; a mixed-media installation by The SeaWomen of Korea by Greek artist Mikhail Karikis; award winning author and broadcaster Philip Hoare discussing the recently published The Sea Inside (BBC4 Book of the Week); noir crime fiction author Cathi Unsworth reading from her novel Weirdo set in a fictional seaside town, a multi-media film/performance of Swandown with cult writer Iain Sinclair, artist Andrew Kotting & musician Jem Finer; a special performance of Britten’s children’s opera Noye’s Fludde in the 100th anniversary year of his birth; French-Norwegian performance poet Caroline Bergvall (currently exhibited at Tate) with DRIFT her interpretation of Saxon sea poems; an afternoon of readings and talks by contemporary non-fiction writers exploring the unique landscape of the Thames Estuary, including Ken Worpole; Dr Jules Pretty (winner of Angel Prize) and Greek writer Julian Hoffman on the unique landscape of the Hoo Peninsula; The Fishwives Choir; local author Syd Moore (The Drowning Pool) set in the Essex coastline; an alternative audio walk exploring historical tales from the Estuary by US artist and writer Justin Hopper; films; writing workshops for both children and adults and much more."

3/9/2013