Wednesday 14 September 2022

What if? By Anne Wilson

 



How we came to publish this one

We have already published Anne Wilson before. I do have to be a little careful here, however: another Anne Wilson runs my u3a French group.  

The title

There is a great title. There is perhaps an argument that every story should be called this. That is in the end perhaps the sub text. In this collection that question become particularly important.   

Some notes about the process

This book went through the normal three stages of editing.  

The cover

The paper in the typewriter show the title and the by-line. This emphasises that the “what if?” question in the writer’s greatest tool.   

Some notes about style

There is a tendency towards the dark here. The texts deal with the ghostly and the surreal.   

Who we think the reader is

The text isn’t perhaps for the faint-hearted. One review has mentioned the collection  might need trigger warnings. Well, here they are.  

What else

This is one of our single author collections. Each story has its own voice.   

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.       

 

Find your copy here. 

 

Saturday 3 September 2022

The Memory Keeper by S.Nadja Zajdman

  

How we came to publish this one

We have already published S.Nadja Zajdman several times – in our annual anthologies and on CafeLit. She has a great story-telling voice and we were so pleased to put this one together for her.   

The title

There is a great title. The narrator here does gather lots of memories. This reads like a memoir but it is in fact fiction.     

Some notes about the process

I had the privilege of working with Sharon on this book. It was a great pleasure. It was such a satisfactory process for two reasons: there wasn’t much that needed altering and Sharon was very open to suggestions.    

The cover

We went backwards and forwards a little with pictures of snow scenes. There is still an element of that in the way the child is dressed. But this is such an apt illustration; much of the narrative is about the relationship between the narrator and her father.    

Some notes about style

The writing is very engaging and tending toward the literary. Zajdman works with the sense to create vivid pictures. There is also a considerable amount of inner monologue.  

Who we think the reader is

This is an absorbing read and relationships figure largely in the narrative. It will certainly also make the reader think,   

What else

This is one of our single author collections. Yet it could also be in Feisty Women series. Although each chapter is a self-contained d story there is also an over-arching story as well.

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.