KazG

Thanks @sandradavies and @bellam both. It’s interesting – as I was writing this, I was thinking that it didn’t really tell me anything about the ‘inner lives’ of either Abigail or John. But in hindsight, perhaps it does. More about John though than Abigail, I think?

And yes, I think she needed to get out fast, and I think she did. She felt quite…[Read more]

This does give me a good sense of the father though, I think. A shouty, philandering, ‘man’s man’. Working class. I get the impression he’s one of those people who puts others down a lot but always in the form of jokes so any hurt feelings can be laughed of with a ‘can’t you take a joke?’. Does that come close?

Aaaah, that makes so much sense now – re the lie! Very clever!

“the miscarriage story is a lie” – aha! I did think there was something over- … stilted? about the letter. A bit too well-composed for the trauma undergone.

I remember Waltraut as being a well-established character of yours, even though I don’t remember reading anything about her. The writing, of what ought to be written, and the tearing up – is it weakness or selfishness? (my money goes on the latter).

Heartbreaking. Those inconsequentialities so poignant and the “plucking a sunripe fruit from a tree, pressing it against your cheek for the simple joy” such a vivid recollection of the good. Yet my impression is she got out – had the strength of character to get out – much earlier than many.
I’m wondering if she posted this, though?

Thanks Raine – son has been quite insistent about making space for himself! It’s his father who keeps eluding me, despite him having to be MC (apart from the usual duo of Luke and Baz)

Such a good series of thoughts, Kaz. So potent with the sheer physical bloody (pun intended) inconvenience of being female, and the subtle tension of having to acquire this knowledge and make the knowledge invisible too. And as for pre-teen daughters getting oggled. OH MY GOD THIS IS HAPPENING AND I WANT TO KILL ALL THE MEN EVER. Beautiful though,…[Read more]

Ooooh *noice* seventeen year old son voice!! So much in there – family tension, big family belonging & identity conflicts; and lust and some highly dodgy goings on. So cool. Can son be in your book as well as father?

Love the contrast between formality and impropriety in the first, Bella. Created a lovely sense of the ambiguity and desire, and an unreliable narrator too, me thinks. Nice. 🙂
The second letter – is the writer very young? It’s quite disconcerting and definitely sounds like the voice of someone too young to really be processing their own…[Read more]

I have had no time/mental capacity for this at all. But finally made time to read the Burroway chapter the other night & found it interesting. I quite liked the simplicity of the quote questioning whether a story has changed the character – ”What is visible now at the end of the story that wasn’t visible at the start’
Also loved the language in…[Read more]

Thanks Kaz – this inspired me to have a go at fleshing out a new character from an unexpected viewpoint, as well as bringing memories of my own then ending with an adult viewpoint. That endless circle, eh?

Ow Wow Kaz. That is fantastic. Funnily enough I have just come to a bit in my WIP that made me think of this exercise. I might have a go at it too!