Read 2020 - 61 - A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge

Oh my! Frances Hardinge is one of the best writers working today. She is also an absolutely delightful person and I declared, after finishing A Skinful of Shadows that I'd like to live under her hat. I'm aware that I wouldn't actually fit. This beautiful hardback is going on my forever shelf - most of my books either go to dust-hell ie the Bestwick's study or to the charity shop. This was a Christmas present from my Bestwick.

Lord Fellmotte was not a man. He was an ancient committee. A parliament of deathly rooks in a dying tree.

Sent to live with her father's family as a servant, a house haunted by the Fellmotte ancestors, Makepiece finds she has a half-brother, James, and over the years they try to escape the family and its estate. This is a richly beautiful book full of intrigue and danger, adventure and plots and both nasty and loving ghosts. Most of all we have Bear. By page 26, Hardinge had already broken my heart.

Read it.

Five million stars.

An Anniversary of Sorts

One year ago today I decided to write my first ever children's book. It seemed like a mad idea at the time. I had spent the day writing a short story called 'The Paper Dolls' and it seemed to me (and to the people in my critique group) that it would make a good children's story. Ridiculous! I thought. Eighteen days later I had completed the first draft of 'Lucy Baxter & The Evil Emporium', and within 2 months I had finished that book and written the first draft of my second book 'The Poisoned Apple'.

What would be perfect is if exactly one year later I signed with an agent? Drums fingers on desk. Okay, I said it would be perfect, I didn't say it would happen. :)

Anyhow, in honour of my one year anniversary (and by coincidence) every story I have written in this so far productive week has a young MC.

A Strange Artificial Light - our heroine is 11
Ugly Duckling - our heroine is 17
Hand Scratched Note - our hero is 18
Uncle Eric's Leather Bound Tale - WIP - our hero is 13

As these are all horror stories/dark fantasy stories intended for adult books I could have a problem. I'm hoping the editors will be reminded of Stephen King's young MCs, of course they are nothing like Stephen King's so I could be in trouble... Oh dear!

Matchsticks, Moths & Machinations

I've finally started writing my next children's novel - working title: 'Matchsticks, Moths & Machinations'. Here's a 'first draft' extract:

The First Chapter

The Malodorous Mademoiselles

Molly Beaumont chased after the blue and grey socks that had slithered off the Wormald sisters’ stinky feet. They slipped under the coffee table, took a detour around a threadbare armchair and escaped down the hall. She had a stitch in her side and a nasty smell up her nostrils. The peg on her nose was no longer adequate protection from the collection of whiffs that steamed from the bedrooms, the parlour and the sisters.

As furniture bumped against her legs and doors smacked at her elbows, Molly was finding the chase difficult and tiring. Everything seemed to be against her catching the rotten things.

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I've put an optimistic 50,000 words as the word count I'm aiming for. Fingers crossed. I also need to start planning 'The Poisoned Apple II'. Another request for a partial today (eek!) for 'The Poisoned Apple', also an ejection, and the undying hope that one day someone will ask for a full. I also need to start writing something for the Necrotic Tissue anthology 'Malpractice'.

A not so POISONED letter

Received my first rejection for my childrens book 'The Poisoned Apple' and I am officially declaring it the BEST rejection I have ever had. Apologies to all those editors of small press mags/anthos who have provided critiques and helped me improve as a writer.

After a wee while (translate that as years) of sending out my horror novels and my first childrens book and getting form rejections, I finally got an outstanding personal rejection and it is from one of the top UK agencies. I quote:

You have a quirky style of writing, it is fast-paced, funny and I love the opening line. But for us to consider taking your novel on, it would have to be more in region of 60-70,000 words in length as this is what publishers expect.

The last part - 60,000 words - bothers me. I was aiming for an early Lemony Snicket length book and I know there are a lot of books out there that are around the 20-25,000 mark for children, but perhaps the times they are achanging. Then again, maybe I can change them back - :)

I'll send it out to a few more agencies - probably every single one in the book - and then if I get nowhere I will consider merging the as yet unwritten book 2 with book 1. Who knows?

I am telling you, I so have butterflies in my stomach that they read as far as the opening line... At last, a query letter that works.