My inspiration

I’m meant to be working on a sequel to Daisychains ( and I am, I am …) but last night, when I found myself awake, I started typing up another of my father’s novels, so they will be available to readers on Kindle. An early one, this time, and probably my favourite.  Look at this extract from Ch. 3 of The Devil’s Minister. No wonder I fell in love with the written word:

That journey must be one of the most enchanting – as well as one of the slowest – rail journeys in the world. Especially is it enchanting when the sea is reached and the line winds along the broken coast, by little shingle bays, past rocky headlands, with the sea breaking over the thrift which clings to the crevices of the shattered rocks, with heather and birch and stunted oak growing down almost to the high water mark, and, far away, a mighty panoply of mountains disposed against the sky, patterned by the shifting shadows of the clouds, islands and mainland merged beyond the blue, white-flecked water in a prospect as magnificent as any I have ever known.

On that first day, it made a tremendous impact on me. I have known places infinitely more remote, but few in which one sensed so strongly the tortured chaos out of which the world sprang, the labouring influences of time and nature on its face, the origins of man, with his toe-hold on the shore, struggling to survive on that narrow strip between the sea and the unfriendly hills, but surviving, building up a way of life, creating a culture, working out a philosophy which comprehended man and the unruly sea, the mountains and the wide sky, and then living in that philosophy, happily, for  generations, with well-springs of wisdom tapping far back in time to the dark days of his beginning.

In such a place, the past and the present are one. The continuity is there, written by the ice on a piece of stone set in the corner of a cottage gable-end. And men can be humble and proud at the same time, which is an excellent thing – humble, because all but the most foolish of men must be humble before the record of the past, and proud, because they and their fathers have endured and begotten and torn poetry out of the throat of the shouting storm.

My favourite book …

for this new year was a present from my family. I think they’re trying to tell me something …

Blogs I like …

I set up a new blog, but I’m meant to be writing a sequel to Daisychains of Silence, and it’s a terrible distraction, so I’ve abandoned it. Anyway, I’m too hesitant to be a natural blogger, a fact that’s taken me a while to accept. And accept that it’s OK - blogging doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and that is fine. In one of my many attempts to embrace blogging, I actually set up a blog called Braver Blogging (and I wasn’t being ironic at the time, more like optimistic). I wrote there, for a while, but kept it private. I mean, I wish I was brave enough to say to the world all the stuff I said in there, but somehow I don’t think that’s going to happen.

But it’s my downfall, I know that. The most entertaining/informative/stimulating blogs are written by people who are brave enough to show a bit of their real selves to the world, and we are richer for reading their truth. A few spring to mind, and I’ll try to share them here. I’m not very good at linky things (in fact WordPress has driven me nuts while I’ve been trying to change my Daisychains site away from the black & white pages I set up a couple of years ago – I wanted a lighter, brighter look and this is the result so far).

So here are just some of the real Braver Bloggers:

Exmoor Jane – you never know what’s coming next over at Jane Alexander’s lively blog, but I never miss a post because whatever it’s about I know it’s bound to be entertaining, thought provoking and always uplifting. She’s blogged about everything from Vegetarianism to Spanx tummy-tuck underwear, Astral cookies and other recipes to labyrinths and Christmas markets and even if she’s writing about the horrid black dog that seems to lurk around the corner for so many of us at this time of year, Jane still manages to put a positive slant on things. I like that. And that’s why I bought her book The Energy Secret. I thought ‘if I could have a bit of what she’s taking I’d be a happier, more productive, all-round better person.’  Turns out all you have to do is breathe.  Lucky for us we can read and breathe at the same time because she’s actually written more books than you’ll find in some people’s home – fiction and non-fiction – and a fab new guide to the best British pubs is available through her blog too. Breathe.

Jake Barton – if ever anyone should be given a column in one of the glossy sunday supplements (the glossiest, definitely), it’s the suave, opinionated, wonderfully talented bestselling writer, Mr Jake Barton. Or as he prefers to describe himself, a wastrel. Waste a few half hours over on his blog – I guarantee that once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. Then pop over to Amazon and buy his thrillers. They’re thrilling, just like him.

Dumphimlove ~ I met this lovely lady, who’s real name is Barbara Green, through Jane Alexander when she introduced us on Twitter. How did Jane know I would love Barbara Green? I have no idea, but I’ve come to realise Jane’s instincts are usually spot on. Barbara is a BACP qualified counsellor, and her website is a treasure trove of thoughtful articles, often relationship-based but not always – we might be off to Morrocco in February after reading her lively account of her holiday there. So, entertaining and fascinating, but the most surprising thing is there is even an interactive problem page where people can write to her with a specific issue that’s troubling them and she will give her professional opinion. How amazing is that? When you have to wait months and months for any sort of counselling through Relate or your GP I think it’s a wonderful idea, and I would trust Barbara to always give a thoughtful and compassionate response, whatever the problem. But Barbara’s not all sweetness and light, even though she’s caring. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and will do if she thinks it will help. And there’s book recommendations and music clips as well, so something for everyone, even if you don’t have a worry in the world.

More blogs I follow to follow (if you know what I mean), but in the meantime if anyone knows if I can do anything useful with all the white space either side of this page, please let me know.

Wonder through a glassy surface …

is my new blog and it’s here:  http://catherinemacleodwriter.blogspot.com/

It’s called ‘wonder through a glassy surface’. The name came to me after I stumbled across my daughter’s blog - lovely though it is I think it may have had a spelling mistake, because hers was called ‘don’t wonder through this glassy surface’ (which might be the lyrics of a Hanson song). I’m not certain, but I think perhaps she means ‘wander’. Also, earlier in the week my daft husband did a spoof Benny Hill sketch with his new video software, and he’d called it ‘quick wonder round the garden’, which turned out to be as silly as it sounds.

Anyway, I look at the world through my spectacles, and ‘Wonder through a glassy surface’ is exactly what I spend my days doing. So it just seemed to fit.

The Book Trailer …

If you are wondering about my Harper Collins review …

you can read extracts from it here:

‘Daisychains of Silence’ is a literary fiction novel that narrates the story of Daisy (christened Deirdre), a woman whose discovery of her husband’s treachery drives her to return to the household of her mother, Ellen. Tormented by her husband’s betrayal and troubled by her complicated relationship with Ellen, Daisy begins to reflect on the childhood experiences that shaped her.

The narrative of ‘Daisychains’ is rich with imagery of the Scottish Highlands and the motif of needlework, both of which give it a fresh and unique feel: this did not feel like a novel I have read before, which is a great start as far as grabbing an Editor’s attention goes. The opening sequence, too, hooks and engages the reader; juxtaposing the colourful picture of Daisy sewing beside her mother with the dramatic image of her stitching together her lips. There are numerous other strengths in the plotting of and characters in the narrative. The dynamics of Daisy’s relationships, particularly with Jo and Ellen, are great. I was especially drawn to Ellen, her mental deterioration, and how this affects Daisy’s feelings towards her and their interaction. Equally, I liked the parallel storylines of the young and the old Daisy.’

‘you prove yourself capable of writing skilfully and without affectation; I’m thinking particularly of lines such as “her hair, rich as peat, was swept into a careless chignon, a loose tendril stuck to lips that were mysteriously darker at the edges where lipstick met the rest of her face”.’

‘The underlying concept is strong; for the most, your characterisation is vivid and fresh; and your setting is rich. This book has a strong literary quality … I genuinely wish you all the best progressing with this novel.’

Earlier in the year Andrew Blackman, author of On the Holloway Road, took time to stop by my website and read the first three chapters of Daisychains of Silence. I was thrilled to bits, and spurred on by his encouraging comments. The original review is now buried at the end of Chapter three so I’ve copied it here:

‘I really enjoyed reading these three chapters. I loved in the first chapter how the narrative moved so slowly, almost lulling me to sleep with the peaceful sewing in front of the fire before suddenly unleashing a very powerful and haunting image that fully merited the long build-up. Similarly in chapter three, the assault at boarding school and the husband’s betrayal are dropped in between mundane things like cooking sausages and watching pink roses trellised up the wall. The combination of everyday lightness with sudden bouts of real darkness worked really well.”

I found the tense shifts in chapters one and three a little jarring, but that was all – everything else worked for me. Best of luck with finding an agent or publisher for your work! I’m sure it’s a matter of time (and persistence, and a little luck!).”

new blog with Google friend connect …

I love Google friend connect and I’ve recently discovered it’s not available to add to WordPress blogs, so I’ve set up a new fledgling blog with the nice friendly button. There’s not much going on in Wonder through a glassy surface yet, but I hope it will soon become a comfortable place where I feel at home, and where friends will always feel welcome.

No news is good news …

I haven’t heard back from Legend Press yet and still I have a good feeling about them. I submitted my novel to them back in October because I felt they would be the best publisher for Daisychains of Silence, and that it would fit with the type of books they publish. I still feel that, and am patiently keeping my fingers crossed that they are reading my book with interest. It’s right for an Indie publisher, I know it is. And I’ve had a tingly feeling about Legend Press right from the start. Can you see me dreaming? Make it real - I’m holding my breath …

The fact that one of their award-winning writers stopped by to review my book gives me hope – thank you Andrew.

Have anti-bullying campaigners been reading Daisychains of Silence?

I can’t help wondering:
http://thirdsector.co.uk/Channels/Communications/Article/977415/Beatbullying-appeal-against-TV-ban-hard-hitting-advertising-campaign/