Postcards from an Author Booktrail
There are some brilliant author events out there. Libraries and bookshops up and down the country host authors who come to talk about their latest novel, meet their readers and generally soak up the atmosphere with book passionate people in a book haven. And to be honest, there’s nothing like sitting in a library after hours…..it’s been a dream of mine since I was a young child and it has no signs of abating. I’m still waiting for the day where I get locked inside a bookshop overnight….
This week I did something different – instead of a Booktrail I did an author trail – met three different authors in one day across three locations. I carried their books with me to get signed of course and wanted to chat with them all, take a picture and find out a juicy tidbit from each of them….Would I succeed in my mission?
Author Trail – Kate Morton
Author 1 – Kate Morton – Newcastle City Library – The Lake House
Early morning, I wake up early, prepare a breakfast of porridge and jam to build up stamina and then I head out to town. I’m carrying 3 hardback books to be signed. Hope Kate doesn’t mind – I’ve had them for ages on my bookcase and just have to have them signed. Now this lady to me is like the modern day Enid Blyton – the way she crafts stories and mysteries is just like I remember Enid Blyton did – books I wanted to open and spend time with and imagine myself in that old house for example….
She’s as lovely as you might imagine – she sees beauty and mystery in the old buildings, the ordinary lampposts, the everyday. The book The House at Riverton got its name by the most mudane of events. With her first baby recently born, she telephoned her local medical centre in Australia for advice – it was called The Riverton Medical Centre – the woman on the other end of the phone she said, sounded as if she was an old empty building given the echo on the line. She imagined an old lady with white hair talking on a ceramic telephone …..in a large ornate house, its walls covered in art….and so the idea behind Riverton was born. I asked her if she dreamt and if so, were her dreams vivid as her waking moments? Apparently not – her dreams are quite boring by her own admission. Maybe that’s why her books sparkle with so many ideas and acute observations. Never have I learned so much about English nuances and history than from this Australian author.
She chatted The Lake House – the story of a missing child and the inspiration coupled with an old crumbling house, covered by overgrown trees and the secrets of the past…
What would she make of Newcastle I wondered? Well, on my way to our next respective appointments, we wandered down Grey Street and I pointed out the old buildings, the crooked stairs leading up to the bridge, the old vintage laps on the side of the Theatre Royal. If any of these details appear in one of her future novels, I am going to be very excited…..
Author Trail – Emma Flint
Author 2 – Emma Flint – Whickham Library – Little Deaths
From the mystery of a missing child to….another mystery of missing children based on the real life case of Alice Crimmins who was judged and accused of killing her two children, largely because of how she looked, dressed and acted. Emma’s from Gosforth originally and said she toyed with the idea of setting a story inspired by the Crimmins case in Newcastle but that was quickly cast aside. The American setting was vital to the plot, the time and place and attitudes in the story. Plus it more closely mirrored the real events.
Emma was lovely – she was so excited to have her book published – something she’d worked on and was unsure if anyone would read it. The cover (open up the book jacket to see the full picture) is stunning and really captures the nature of what’s inside. She’s always been interested in history apparently – social, political and cultural and so been fascinated by true historical crimes.
Then a lovely thing happened – someone in the audience asked a question – and it turned out to be her history teacher from back in the day! They had a lovely catch up – and it was touching to see how the love of books and history should come full circle. Emma said she was so happy to have met him again after all this time and that he’d come to see her. This teacher inspired Emma to get inside history and to analyse it and to really want to experience it !
A funny thing happened at this talk as well – a woman in the audience asked what I can only describe as the most specific question I have ever heard asked at a book talk “Page 34 she said – there’s a quote about the sound a long spoon makes on the inside of an ice-cream glass….” “Was this a particular memory you had as a child? Where did this come from?” When we’d all had a laugh and decided to hire said lady for every author ‘inquisition’ in the future, Emma explained it was a memory of happy days (spent at Binns ice cream parlour in Newcastle!) and as all writers do, they mingle and use their own pasts into stories.
Author Trail – Paula Hawkins
Author 3 – Paula Hawkins – Waterstones Newcastle – Into the Water
The Girl on the Train herself alighted at Newcastle for a chat about her new novel into the Water. There was a lot of interest in Girl on the Train of course. I even had my old proof copy of it for her to sign. ( I was supposed to attend the launch but fell ill with pneumonia so had to cancel. This girl on the train had come full circle!)
It was a little cramped in the basement but Paula read from her new novel and there were many questions from the audience. Mostly serious ones – nothing as funny as “Page 38”. Signings upstairs – and the train of people quieting to see her rattled along until the last passenger had disembarked with their purchases out of the door.
A good day was had by all – bless Kate Morton for signing ALL the books I took along. And for allowing me to see the Morton Magic in the streets of Newcastle. Thank you to Emma for being such a funny and warm speaker, so passionate about her book and her love of history and for two of the most heartwarming and funniest moments yet at an author event. And thanks to Paula for signing a rather bedraggled copy of GOTT.
