Confessions from the Drafting Trenches

Lou's February News

Hello!

How are you faring? February always feels like a quieter month to me, with its shorter days and longer evenings - perfect for reading (or writing) by the fire...or visiting your local independent book shop, perhaps...

Talking of book shops, I’ve been settling into my new role at Goldfinch, meeting so many people and helping them to find books...I’ve located travel guides for upcoming holidays, origami books for a ten year old great-niece who’s ‘so hard to buy for’, thrillers for men who ‘don’t read’, new fiction for people looking for something ‘a bit different’...I could go on, and on!

While I’m busy wrangling books in my day job, by night I’m battling through a first full draft of my next novel...I say first draft, but actually this is my fourth complete re-write. That’s 90,000 words completely re-written four times. (So... *does quick maths in her head*... that’s 360,000 words! Blimey!)

And I’d love to tell you that with each draft I’m feeling more confident I’m going in the right direction.

But that would be a lie.

I’m not sure I’ve used the right tense. I’m not sure the story is compelling enough.I’m not sure I’ve done enough research. I’m not sure anyone will ever want to read it.

So why am I battling on?

I’m not sure! :)

As well as working on the new novel, I’m also in the midst of preparing for the publication of ‘The Library of War and Peace‘ which is out on 2nd April (I know it’s a while yet, but stuff needs sorting). I’m hoping to pop up to the Penguin offices in London some time this month, to see (and hear) the audiobook being recorded. There will be two voice actors narrating the novel, one doing the main character Josie’s part (she’s American), and another doing Edie’s part. I’m very excited!

Being back in the world of ‘The Library’ has led me to reflect on other novels inspired by the First World War.

The Great War was immense and overwhelming to those who lived through it, but some of our best fiction has captured the essence of that time. Books like Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks (a literary tale full of emotion), and Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain (this one is nonfiction, of course, but deeply personal), and Regeneration by Pat Barker (thoughtful, unsettling, and focused on the psychological cost of war). And recently I read Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts, a fantastic book set in the midst of World War One, so powerfully written that it’s become one of my all-time favourite novels.

Do you prefer historical fiction that’s richly romantic, or grimly realistic, or quietly devastating?

I’d love to know...just hit reply if you feel like it.

Thank you, as always, for all your support.

I hope February brings you a good story, and a little quiet time to read.

January’s winners were:
1) (An ebook copy of ‘The Library’) - Vicki L.
2) (Arundhati Roy’s memoir) - Lesley B.

This month’s giveaway is a hardback copy of Milli Hill’s ‘Ultra-Processed Women’.
To be in with a chance of winning this book, all you have to do is tell me what you’re reading this month. I’ll choose a winner at random at the end of this month.
Good luck!

Events coming up:

Wednesday 4th February – New Alresford W.I. – Women of War Talk.

Wednesday 11th February – Chawton W.I. – Women of War Talk.

Thursday 12th February – Medstead W.I. – Women of War Talk.

Sunday 22nd February - Hinton Martell - SOE Talk.

By the way, I give regular author talks. If you know of any groups who might be interested in booking me, please do email me on louise@louisemorrish.com

Some books I’ve enjoyed this month:

The Pretender by Jo Harkin - I loved this sweeping historical novel, every bit as good as Hilary Mantel and Maggie O’Farrell. It’s set during the time of the Tudors’ ascent, and is inspired by the story of Lambert Simnel, who was raised in obscurity as a peasant boy to protect his safety, believed to be the heir to the throne occupied by Richard III, and briefly crowned, at the age of ten, as King Edward the Sixth, one of the last of the Plantagenets.

The Child at the Window by Gill Thompson - Full disclosure, Gill is a good friend of mine, and writes wonderfully moving stories set in the war. This, her latest, is inspired by the true story of two sisters who helped Jewish people escape fascist Germany. It’s a powerful, compelling novel of love, courage and sacrifice.

Ferment by Tim Spector - This book is a comprehensive introduction to the life-changing benefits of fermentation. Of all the ways to prepare food, fermenting is arguably the most mysterious, miraculous and misunderstood. Tim Spector shows the science is now clear that adding fermented foods to our diets brings an astonishing range of benefits for our health. I’m experimenting on myself...


I’d love to hear what you’re reading...email me on louise@louisemorrish.com and we can chat all things books...

Bye for now!

Lou x

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