Mother Writes: Book nests and publishing success

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

Book nests and publishing success

I bought this gorgeous card in the V&A reading rooms the other day. I think I have fallen in love with this place. They call it a bookshop and bar and encourage people to come in, buy a glass of wine or cup of coffee and then wander round, pull out a book and take a seat on one of many chairs and sofas scattered around. A very bold move on their part I say, because they may just get someone clumsy (like moi) who sprays a dozen droplets of wine on brand new pages. But good for them, because independent bookshops need to branch out and think of these quirky ways to lure book buyers away from the big chains.

On another note, I have very happily had a short story published this week in Prole Books. I wrote this one a while ago and stubbornly kept sending it in to places despite being rejected many times, because I kinda liked it. And I'm pleased to say that being stubborn has gone my way this time. It's called 'Song of Saira', is set in 1970's London and is about the relationship between an mysterious Afghan refugee and a young photographer who discovers the Afghan girl through a photograph.

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Mother Writes...What's it all about?

When I was little, I imagined with the supreme confidence of a child that when I was all grown up, I'd be a celebrated writer. And by grown-up, I probably meant about eighteen. The concept of even reaching the age of thirty, let alone beyond, was off my radar and my seven-year old self shuddered at the ominious thought of not having published at least several novels by that grand old age.

Fast forward to the present. Here I am, age thirty-five, wife to a lovely hubby and mother to three gorgeous children. Now, am I writer? My seven-year old self would hold a very strong opinion on this: No, because I don't have a single published novel to my name. But I'm pleased to say that now I'm all grown-up, I'm also a bit more measured and realistic in my expectations of myself. Don't get me wrong - I love my seven-year old self for believing I could achieve that much but I have, over the years, come to an important conclusion:

If you dance, you are a dancer. If you paint, you are a painter. And if you write, you are a writer.

But we have to actually do it, not just talk about doing it. It's all too easy to procrastinate about our creative endeavours and that's all I ask of myself now: to create; to write. And if I'm lucky enough to get something published (which I'm pleased to say that I have done, in the form of short stories, reviews and articles), well, that's a bonus. And that's what this blog offers: little slices of honesty on my plate of life as mother, wife and creator of words. It's often not easy to juggle all three, particularly dealing with bouts of chronic insomnia. But I have to trust this is all part of the journey, and challenges are what make life interesting.