First review for Elfrida

July 9, 2020 / Susan Barrett / Leave a comment

It’s wonderful when a writer you admire praises your work. I have permission to quote the whole of Anthony Peregrine’s review which he posted as a Verified Purchaser on the book’s Amazon page. Anthony is an excellent travel journalist who writes enticingly and knowledgeably about France for the Sunday Times, the Daily Telegraph and other publications. I’m so pleased with what he’s said about my writing.

Anthony Peregrine reviews Elfrida Next Door

“I read Elfrida Next Door through in one afternoon – which perhaps tells you all you need to know about my appreciation of the book. Very difficult to let it go, even though I should have been doing other stuff.

The story romps along. I particularly liked the fact that bad guy Nicholas was just so recognisably normal. Not some kind of evil svengali, but an ordinary fellow having let extraordinary circumstances catch up with, and overtake, him. That was utterly convincing, as was the whole “confinement” story

In truth,, I thoroughly enjoyed the company of the characters. I thought at first that maybe locked-up Angela was a bit unbelievably wimpish – but then I thought back to all those women who emerge after years of confinement at the hands of abusive men, and so many of them seem, at least, ambiguous about their captors. After that, I realised that Angela worked well. That’s one of the key strengths of the story – none of the main characters is a caricature. And there’s uncertainty on all sides.

So, well, in short: terrific. And, if I thought the story ended a bit abruptly, it’s maybe because I wanted to spend more time with these people. Ms Barrett has a great gift for creating characters like that – normal men and women whose complexities run deep.”

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A NOVEL ON LOCKDOWN

April 19, 2020 / Susan Barrett / Leave a comment

A NOVEL FOR LOCKDOWN

One of the hardest things about writing a novel, I find, is describing it in a few short sentences. With Covid 19 this is particularly hard. It seems such a frivolous waste of time to be writing fiction in a pandemic.

I didn’t realise when I started writing my present novel in 2019 how apposite it would turn out to be in 2020. Its underlying theme is the balance of power in relationships, and imprisonment of various kinds, in life, work and love. This theme echoes the effects of the virus.

Covid 19 has come along and taken us by surprise. Its immediate effect around the world has been, and will continue to be, tragic. But its lasting effect may turn out to be good rather than bad. There may be a re-balancing of power in the relationship between the poor and the rich, and the underdeveloped and developed regions of the world. Humanity may pay greater respect to, and take greater care of, the natural world we depend on. The virus, in its containment measures, has caused a kind of imprisonment in life, work and love. But it has also brought joy and happiness, companionship and emotional proximity.

It seems heartless to be writing fiction at such a time. But I bet there are thousands doing it. Judging by the flood of inventive and clever videos on YouTube, created by talented people usually employed outside the home, I expect there will be an increased flood of novels hunting for agents and publishers. Very few people don’t believe that they have a novel within them. They’ve heard it often enough. The men will be bashing out science fiction and thrillers; the women, romance. They will be thrilled with the completion of their work and expect fame and fortune pretty well at once. Some will self-publish. A few will find publishers. There will be readers who will be entertained, whose minds will be stimulated. Does creative work add to the world’s well-being? Yes, it does, as much for its providers as for its recipients.

So here’s the blurb for my just-completed novel ELFRIDA NEXT DOOR:

Taking coercive control to its limits, Nicolas keeps his wife in a hermit’s cell in the ruins of a priory at the bottom of his garden. Rachel, his new neighbour, becomes interested in the legend of Elfrida, the cell’s first occupant. This leads her into danger and gives Nicolas a new problem to solve. The balance of power in relationships, and imprisonment of various kinds in life, love and work, provide the underlying themes of this light, dark novel. Or is it a dark, light novel.

How to be your own PRO

November 30, 2016November 30, 2016 / Susan Barrett / Leave a comment

I’m just at the beginning of this lesson. I’m not even sure if the job title is still Publicity Relations Officer. But I have learnt one or two things since I began hoping to sell my books this autumn.

First of all, it’s necessary to have the confidence that what you are selling is worth selling. This is not easy when it is your own work.

It’s like looking in the mirror. Do you count the lines on your forehead? Those will surely have increased just by looking at them with a critical eye. Those of us who regard our own image with lasting satisfaction are few and far between. The same applies to writing. Of course it’s right to be self-critical while you are doing the writing. But if you want to sell your own book, then you have to squash that impish little self-doubting critic and concentrate on what is good.

The next imp that jumps in is the one who tells us not to boast. I wonder if this imp pesters people of my (elderly) generation more than others. I know I was brought up not to draw attention to myself. This attitude is a severe disadvantage if you want to sell your work.

But an advantage we have nowadays is the way we can easily communicate with the world without leaving the safety of our own rooms. I have decided to run an advertising campaign on LinkedIn. I’ve placed an ad, with the image of the cover of “A Home from Home”, on a pay per click basis. Clicks will come through to this website, but will any click on this site result in another click to the Amazon page of the novel? And will that further click result in a sale? It seems a long chance.

My early career as an advertising copywriter prompted me to write FREE in big letters in the headline. The only thing I could offer free was the ebook edition on Kindle Unlimited. So no royalties there. But it may bring me new readers. And that’s my biggest aim.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1537014838