One of
Marcia’s friends who lives in south west Wales, Vivien, was on
holiday in St Mawes with her parents (leaving her husband behind
holding the fort) and, on the way home, she called in to see us. I am
delighted to say that she follows my blog and so is well aware of my
recent obsession with corrugated iron.
It
turns out that I am not the only one: she brought with her a
mounted copy of a picture taken by the St Mawes photographer Ray
Bradshaw which he has titled “Old Rusty”. It is a lovely pressie
and I have found a frame for it and soon it will be hanging beside
the tapestry of Trubshawe that Vivien worked for Marcia some time
ago.
I
would be breaking copyright by showing it to you but if you want to
see what I am talking about, click here.
After
Vivien had left for Wales, we had lunch at the pub – nobly served
by Steph (who had been eating blue bubble-gum ice cream) and John.
*
* * * *
We are
approaching the moment when Marcia can safely wave good-bye to the
characters inhabiting the last book to be written. Approaching - we
are not there yet.
The
dreaded editorial notes arrived recently. I say dreaded with no
exaggeration. Any writing is as dear to the writer as babies are to
their mothers. How dare this other person say anything negative about
my baby?
We
have a rule: nothing that I write goes out of the house until Marcia
has read it, commented on it, offered a critique and (hopefully) some
positive suggestions. The roles are reversed when she is writing.
Obviously, over the years, we have learned to be gentle with each
other but there is that initial moment when the process hurts. So,
instead of starting off by saying, "The second sentence in
paragraph three is rubbish," one starts, "This is really
good, love it. By the way, you might like to have another look at the
second sentence in the third para. I think you could word that a bit
better."
Having
said that the editorial notes are awaited with dread, I should add
that the sooner they arrive the better it is. This is because the
characters that will appear in the next book are beginning to take
over but must not be allowed to displace the old lot. Marcia will
need to revisit them when those editorial notes arrive and so is
presently in that parlous state where she is trying to juggle with
two very disparate groups: terrified that the old ones will intrude
into the new book and that the new ones will, as it were, contaminate
the old ones. That is why I say that the sooner these notes arrive
and Marcia has dealt with them the better it is.
 |
| It had been arranged some time ago that Marcia would be in the Harbour Book Shop in Kingsbridge. As always, there was much jollity and laughter but had Marcia known when the editorial notes would arrive all this would have happened on another day. |
Most
editors are aware of the impact that their editorial notes will have
on the writer and they tend to follow our practice. This time, sure
enough, they start by explaining that the novel is really wonderful.
I agree with that, but then, I would, wouldn't I? Then come the
matters that the editor feels need to be addressed.
Actually,
although I doubt Marcia would agree with this, her editorial notes
rarely contain anything of great importance. Sometimes editors
require what really amounts to a re-write and that has never
happened. Mary Wesley also dreaded what she called "the blue
pencil" and after one of the early books, having heard from
Marcia what her then editor wanted, said, "That is nothing. If
that is all she wants you are very lucky."
It was
a great benefit that Marcia knew Mary in those early days. In fact
there was a wonderful group of writers based around Totnes then: Joan
Brady, James Long, Mary and then, of course, Marcia. These thing
never last. Mary is, of course, no longer with us. James has moved
to the Bristol area and Joan to the Midlands. As you know, Marcia
also moved away but is now back but the town is poorer for the
absence of the other three.
Now,
as I write, Marcia has almost finished dealing with these editorial
notes for the novel that will be called - well, whatever it is that
Transworld decide to call it (and if I tell you the working title we
shall the same problems as we had over The Ginger Jar which was
published as The Prodigal Wife.
Anyway,
within the next few days, Marcia should be able to wave good-bye to
the old characters and be able to turn her searchlight on the new
lot.
This is a rather special blog dog. Bennie is Vivien's father's dog and the two are inseparable.
