Quick Reads Project
'Engrossing, exciting and with lots of twists and surprises...this great read is a thriller, a romance and a family story - and in only 90 pages!' www.gwales.com.
**Stop Press, Nov 6th. Secrets has just been awarded the title of 'Most Borrowed Library Book' at the recent Welsh Book Trade Awards**
I’m both proud and excited to be part of the Quick Reads Initiative, launched on World Book Day 2006, which aims to bring mainstream adult fiction to emergent readers on a scale that, to my knowledge, has not been done before. And good on them, I say! One of the problems of getting to grips with reading for pleasure as an adult, is that there’s a dearth of titles about that can achieve that; most available material, obviously, being written for children. It’s a great honour, therefore, to find myself part of an initiative that counts the likes of Maeve Binchey and Joanna Trollope among its number.My title, Secrets, (published 18th May 2006, to coincide with Adult Learners Week) has been one of the trickiest things I’ve ever attempted, writing wise; not least because of having to re-think my whole way of writing - dispense with the ‘rather flowery style’ that is obviously something of a hallmark. So said the Literacy officer when she edited it, anyhow, about which I’m still smarting a little, it must be said…
Moi? Flowery? Perish the thought. Yet in some ways she’s right. No, my mobiles don’t ring, they invariably chirrup, before being rootled from pockets or bags. My tongue-tied heroines twerble, my falls guys galumph, and my heroes oftentimes find themselves afflicted with tics in their jawlines that beat out tattoos. During times of great sexual tension, of course…
Writing what you like, and precisely how you like – however eccentric or bizarre - is one of the great joys of being a writer, and being someone who tends to write as I talk, it’s naturally a big part of what makes my style mine. Having, then, to strip my words of all the nuances that make it feel like it’s ‘me’, has been an interesting and singular process. And one that’s actually been very gratifying.
It’s amazing, once you stop and give some thought to the matter, what a joy and a privilege it is to have been taught to read. And also just how complex our written language is. How impenetrable, also, to those of us who are not in a position to take it for granted. The use of idiom, cliché, metaphor, the structure of a sentence or a paragraph; all these are things I had to re-visit and re-think, making the finished novella the most considered 16,000 words I’ve ever done.
Secrets, therefore – which is a mystery rather than a comedy - is not in any way infected by the liberties I take with our beautiful language in the interests of raising a laugh. What I do hope it is, is what it should be – a good story. And if it encourages anyone to read fiction for pleasure, then – yeehah! - it’s been a success.
If you're interested in reading further titles from the Quick Reads range - and if - ahem - you'd like to read another by me - then go to ASDA, Waterstones, Borders or Amazon and seek out 'A Day to Remember' by Fiona Phillips. Fiona kindly lent her support to the Quick Reads initiative in Wales this year, though time constraints, sadly, meant that she was unable to provide a manuscript in time. I have a lot of time for Fiona Phillips; quite apart from anything else she's a fine columnist and i don't doubt once she does have time she'll write great fiction too. I was honoured, therefore, to be asked to step in. All of which would have been unknown to anyone, except that Fiona, being a good and moral person, felt this was a fiction she wasn't comfortable with. Which means I can now give the book - and the project - benefit of some publicity too!
Bit of Quick Reads news - 21st March 07
If you're interested in reading further titles from the Quick Reads range - and if - ahem - you'd like to read another by me - then go to ASDA, Waterstones, Borders or Amazon and seek out 'A Day to Remember' by Fiona Phillips. Fiona kindly lent her support to the Quick Reads initiative in Wales this year, though time constraints, sadly, meant that she was unable to provide a manuscript in time. I have a lot of time for Fiona Phillips; quite apart from anything else she's a fine columnist and i don't doubt once she does have time she'll write great fiction too. I was honoured, therefore, to be asked to step in. All of which would have been unknown to anyone, except that Fiona, being a good and moral person, felt this was a fiction she wasn't comfortable with. Which means I can now give the book - and the project - benefit of some publicity too!A Day to Remember is a fun romantic comedy, about love, loyalty....and limos. Buy it - they're only £1.99! - and support this really worthwhile initiative.
From best-selling writers to emergent readers... a major new initiative.
Quick Reads are exciting, short, fast-paced books by leading, bestselling authors, specifically written for emergent readers and adult learners.
A major new initiative from leading publishers, booksellers and writers, this is one of the most exciting adult learning developments for years.
If you’d like to know more about the Quick Reads Initiative, go to http://www.niace.org.uk/quickreads