I’ve just finished
reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (hereafter known as “Eleanor”),
which I won in a HarperCollins Ireland giveaway, hosted by Mairead Hearne of the
fabulous Swirl and Thread book blog. This book is a fantastic read. The
main character, Eleanor has the most wonderful voice and her friendship with
Raymond is so special and heartwarming. She is someone who lacks social skills; who says what she thinks (and it’s often what we’d think, but we perhaps wouldn't say anything),
without realising how it might offend, but she is charming and funny and
because of her backstory and her vulnerability, you find yourself rooting for
her throughout. Here’s a brief excerpt, to give an example of Eleanor’s voice:
"Janey the secretary
had got engaged to her latest Neanderthal, and there was a presentation for her
that afternoon. I’d contributed seventy-eight pence to the collection. I only
had coppers in my purse or else a five-pound note, and I certainly wasn’t going
to put such an extravagant sum into the communal envelope to buy something
unnecessary for someone I barely knew."
When I found myself
carrying Eleanor from room to room around the house-to read in those spare
moments which arise between putting dinner in the oven and waiting for it to be
ready (see my post, Do you Read in the Kitchen?), whilst waiting for the kids to do
something they’re supposed to be doing like brushing teeth or packing school
bags etc-I knew I’d discovered a gem.
On Friday, I found
myself taking Eleanor to a hairdresser appointment, and the lady sitting
beside me happened to be reading the same book! Usually I forget to take a book
to hair appointments and kick myself as I’m stuck with crumpled, coffee-stained magazines I don’t want to read, dodgy WiFi and for some reason
barely any phone reception (is it the hairdryers interfering?-there never seems
to be decent phone reception in hairdressers). Eleanor accompanied me on trips to cafés, and as I couldn’t fit her in the handbag I’m currently using (have
downsized due to shoulder ache), I actually carried
the book in my hand whilst walking around my local town, which I can’t remember doing
ever.
Do you find when you’re
enjoying a book this much, that as you progress through those last chapters,
you reduce the speed of your reading; as you’re not ready to say goodbye to
characters you care about or to the world you’ve become part of? Does the
finishing of a good book leave you with a kind of flat feeling? In this case, I
think it’s important to have a book guaranteed-to-please ready to take its
place: one by a favourite author, one which you’ve heard good things about from
friends (always the best recommendation), one which you know you’ll love as it’s
your favourite genre and a setting you're familiar with and you’ve read the first page and
you just know.
When not selecting the
next book carefully, I’ve found myself taking reading breaks, which can be as
frustrating for writers as being stuck with writing. Reading breaks are not
good for my writing. When I’m reading a lot, and writing a lot, I find the
writing really flows. I have a few books lined up in my To Be Read (TBR) mountain, but can’t decide which one
to go for. It doesn’t help that I made a trip to Waterstones
on Sunday and bought a couple more.
Before moving onto the next book, I need to return to the William Boyd I cast aside for
Eleanor-even though it's a great book: Any Human Heart. I
started to read the first page of Eleanor after removing her from the fabulous pink metallic envelope
received from Mairead, and then I was hooked.
But when I've finished Any Human Heart, the next three books to choose from are:
But when I've finished Any Human Heart, the next three books to choose from are:
1. How to Stop Time
by Matt Haig. I know this book will be excellent, and the only reason it's stayed in my TBR pile since before Christmas is because I bought the
hardback and should have waited for the paperback (which is now out in the UK), as it’s a bit heavy to read.
2. The Venetian Game by
Philip Gwynne Jones, bought on Sunday during the Waterstones trip. My WIP is set
in Venice, and I love Venice, so it was a must-buy.
3. Hotel du Lac by
Anita Brookner, picked up from the Booker Prize table in Waterstones-an
excellent idea for a table. Read the first page in the shop, and the writing is
beautiful.
Have you read any of these books? Which do you think I should go for first?
Have you read any of these books? Which do you think I should go for first?
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| Richmond Green in Surrey, with snow from the first beast, and last week |
There's been snow in the UK recently, and I had to move my neetsmarketing course in York to April due to the first beast of the east. But now, it seems, spring is here. The clocks have changed, and summer is on its way, and I need to think about eating less chocolate. I heard a rumour about a third beast showing its face over Easter, but I'm hoping it isn't true!
News!
I
am a finalist for The Write Stuff at The London Book Fair. This means that on 12 April, 2pm I shall be pitching my novel to a panel of agents in front
of the Author HQ audience. I’ll report back and let you know how it goes (and will update Twitter and Instagram on the day).
Previous posts:
What’s Your Writing Routine? (with guest authors)
There’s Something About #amwriting in Costa Coffee
My neetsmarketing blog with posts on social media for writers
New guest post (out yesterday, 26 March 2018):
Overcoming the Social Media Fear #amwriting, via Emma Darwin's Itch of Writing.
My neetsmarketing blog with posts on social media for writers
New guest post (out yesterday, 26 March 2018):
Overcoming the Social Media Fear #amwriting, via Emma Darwin's Itch of Writing.
