...but it did not entirely work and after a week my husband got an external keyboard and mouse so I could write on the laptop. That is, I wrote when I could in the worse rain and flooding Ireland has seen in hundreds of years. Perhaps I should work a flood into Read More
Writing historical fiction: sometime journal of a New York City novelist
my old creative habit of writing two books at a time
November 15, 2009
I used to do this a lot until one book took over. Often I'll break work for the main book to do the one I call "the under book" for a while to let my mind rest. I figure out problems on the main book by working on the second. It's an interesting process. Read More
A brief break from writing my new book...
October 31, 2009
I had to stop for a bit to rest but now I feel it beginning to tug gently on my arm like a polite small child...within three more days it will be pulling me down and jumping on top of me, yelling, "Listen to me! Forget about the rest of your silly life... Read More
OLD FLOWERS IN A VERY OLD BOOK
October 24, 2009
A friend gave me a book (a compilation of a then popular women's magazine) published in 1848. Opening it, I found dried leaves and flowers, quite fragile, pressed between the pages. Who put them there? Did she gather them herself or were they a love gift?
writing with a breathless passion...
October 23, 2009
...that is the way my new novel is coming and I am receiving some wonderful endorsements for CLAUDE AND CAMILLE as well, less than 5 1/2 months to the publication date.It is moving that people are responding so warmly already. I write this still in my pajamas at almost one on a Friday afternoon because I Read More
why novelists sometimes take a long time to finish a book
October 18, 2009
I think almost all novelists rewrite a huge lot, particularly if the story is a deep one or has many parts that have to come together. It takes a time to figure out what the story is, and that comes as you write, and then you have say 350 printed pages to tell it and Read More
Cold, wet evening in New York City!
October 16, 2009
I suddenly got very tired this afternoon and lay down to read. It was that sort of day...and reading was lovely. I am keeping up my blog Everyday Lives of the French Impressionists which is getting some wonderful reactions. In the past ten days I read the new novel SUNFLOWERS which is very Read More
the magic of old books.
October 12, 2009
I bought an old research book for my new novel, printed in England in 1895. It has such history in it for it was printed when the old Queen Victoria was on the throne. Someone made notes on it with a fountain pen… how can the Kindle ever compete with this? Who wrote those notes? Read More
sending Claude and his friends on their way....
October 10, 2009
The first galleys have gone out for possible blurbs and I am proofing the second pass galleys and working on my new novel. When you have edited a novel a lot (and I worked a great deal with my creative editor!) you look for scenes that are missing and are surprised at ones you Read More
Quotes from novelists
October 5, 2009
Flaubert: Writing is a long patience
Somerset Maugham: There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
Madeleine L'Engle: Listen to your characters
Somerset Maugham: There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
Madeleine L'Engle: Listen to your characters