Lemon Soul Slices - July 2023

An insight into writing life and my top recommendations of the moment!

Not a newsletter

I was going to call this a newsletter, but something about the word ‘news’ these days just makes me feel depressed. It’s all so grim and it just doesn’t feel right in this space. It also conjures images for me of corporate life and depersonalised Christmas round robin letters, so this is not my ‘newsletter’, but will be a regular/irregular update of what’s happening in my writing life. What I’m doing, what I’m loving and am being inspired by, and what comes next. An insight into the world after ‘taking the heart leap’ (to borrow a phrase from the fabulous

Suzy Walker

).

I have also decided not to put pressure on myself to commit to it being ‘monthly’ as I have several chronic health conditions, but when there’s something of note, you, my LOVELY Substack subscribers, will be the FIRST to know!I’m so pleased that you’re here 💕

Book 1 - Breaking Waves

So what is actually happening with the books I’m writing?

Well my first book, Breaking Waves, is currently ‘under submission’ with publishers, which basically means they’re interested enough to look at it, but haven’t yet read it, so it’s a waiting game. I did have my first round of rejections from the ‘Big 4’ publishers which I posted about here. The good news was that the ‘rejection’ wasn’t to do with the writing, they thought that was brilliant (yaay!), it was simply that a memoir-ish offering from a non-celeb without a large social media following is a really hard sell. Seriously - do they not know who I am??!?!

‘Tis a business after all.

My agent has submitted Breaking Waves to the next round of publishers and we’re waiting to hear, whilst I continue to reflect on self-publishing vs traditional. The Wild Atlantic Writing Award I won came in between the submissions so hopefully that may help!

I think I will consign the word ‘rejection’ to room 101 along with ‘newsletter’. I find it so interesting the connotations associated with specific words, as actually my rejection was strangely heartening, and expected in equal measure. The feedback on the writing was so positive, and I will share my first excerpts with you very soon. In the meantime, as per a previous post, I’m channelling my inner Ted Lasso and I will continue to believe!

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Book 2 - Little Tufts of Tea

Well this one is becoming very exciting, and my agent wants to take it on, which is wonderful. Little Tufts of Tea (working title) is also narrative non-fiction, and begins by taking the reader to rural Ireland in the 1950s. To times where embers were stoked in the morning to heat the cast iron kettle filled with fresh spring water, to make tea with milk straight from the cow. A collection of stories from life in what seems a simpler time yet is set against an extraordinarily complex political and societal backdrop, as told to me by my mother. The words painting a picture of the cultures, history and traditions of my own heritage.

As her and I plan a trip together to India, her stories and mine are intertwined with those of people from Kerala to Korea, as I learn the significance of tea as a love language, and how we pass down family history and the events which influence our culture in ways other than words.

And as for the tea? Well that has it's own story to tell...

So what else am I up to?

Well I’m not short of things to keep me busy as I also run a coaching business, am a dog sitter, a mum to teenage children and all that goes with that, but I have learnt the importance of carving out space for myself somewhere amidst the chaos (!) and this is what I’ve been enjoying. I also do some video book reviews on insta in you want to know more:

What I’ve read recently

I have recently finished ‘Fearless’ by the very inspiring BBC news presenter turned triathlete, Louise Minchin. After her years interviewing men on the BBC sofa about their amazing endeavours in sport and adventure, she started to wonder ‘where are all the women?!’ and this book is the beginning of her starting to find them...definitely one to dive into. I’ve met her at a couple of author events, and she is as warm, natural and lovely as she appears on the TV, and just so down to earth. She’s a keeper.

I re-read ‘The Last Act of Love’ by

Cathy Rentzenbrink

, and as someone who generally has 5 books on the go, I literally read this cover to cover in a morning. A heartbreaking yet awe inspiring tale of the tragic accident that left her brother in a permanent vegetative state, and how the family adapted, lived and loved through that until the end of his life. It’s quite wonderful. As well as us both losing a brother in heartbreaking circumstances, Cathy is also a wild swimmer and having been lucky enough to chat to her at an event, I felt she was a true kindred spirit. A kind, gentle, understated and quietly brilliant women.

In an effort to get my daughters to read, we set up a family book club, and my 16-year-old chose ‘They Both Die at the End’ by Adam Silvera. I think the last ‘young adult’ books I read were the ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy, and I had forgotten what a bloody brilliant genre this is. This book is intelligent, witty, sharp and just so ‘on point’. A masterclass in engaging and accessible fiction.

I also read ‘The Power’ by Naomi Alderman, which I loved at first - such a clever concept (and you can’t beat a bit of girl power)... but for me, I felt it was perhaps trying to be too many things in one book. The global scope and wide reach became a bit distracting, and I felt it could have easily been a trilogy rather than cramming everything into one book. The end note was quite brilliant though, and overall thought provoking.

What I’m reading at the moment

I’ve almost finished Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai which I am LOVING. It tells the heartbreaking stories of ‘dust children’ - the offspring of American GI’s and Vietnamese women as a result of the ‘American War’. Historical fiction is definitely one of my go-to genres, and this is particularly fascinating as it is a female author writing about the experience of war from the viewpoints of both male and female characters. If you loved her other book - ‘The Mountains Sing’, an ‘epic, multi-generational’ tale also sent against the backdrop of the Vietnam war, then don’t hesitate to read this.

I Nguyen Phan Que Mai at the London Book Fair, and she sang an ode to the audience which was as beautiful and moving as it was unforgettable. It was an utter privilege to meet her. She enchantingly blends wisdom, knowledge and gentleness in both her books and in her person, and her way with words is beautiful.

I’m also reading ‘Scattered Minds’ by Dr Gabor Mate. The irony is not lost on me. Whilst one of my daughters is undergoing some assessments, lots of things have come to light for me in how my own brain operates - more on that another time, but it is enlightening to say the least...

What' I’m reading next

Next from my pile of books that I have bought but haven’t yet read (it’s an affliction) I am going to choose ‘The Island of Missing Trees’ by Elif Shafak - I met her at The Women’s Prize for fiction and she was magical and mesmerising in a way that is hard to describe. I cannot wait to read this.

I’m also going to tuck into ‘Without Warning & Only Sometimes’ by Kit de Waal. Biography is definitely my number one genre. I heard Kit talk at the British Library alongside Roddy Doyle, and she was captivating. I’m enticed by the multi-heritage background, by the Irish connection, by her warmth and humour, and the remarkable story of her coming home one day to find her mother had become a Jehovah’s Witness, and the subsequent impact on their lives. I look forward to learning more.

And then the surprise one for me is ‘Mother Mother’ by

Annie’s Substack

creator Annie MacManus, (former DJ Annie Mac). A tale of friendship and forgiveness, family and grief which asks ‘if you spend your life giving to the ones you love, do you risk losing yourself along the way?’ A question that resonates with me (and I know many of us) so very deeply - this is one I look forward to exploring.

I must admit I didn’t even know Annie had become an author until I heard her speak at The Women’s Prize Live and then I just wanted to talk to her, befriend her, drink tea with her, dance with her, and be swept up in her words. I spoke to her so briefly as she signed her book, and her warmth lit me up from tip to toe. I fell slightly in love with her (and I don’t even like dance music 🤣).

What I’m listening to

My podcast feed has been pretty dark recently, I’m not gonna lie... with notable podcasts Firebug - the extraordinary story behind a series of arson fires in California in the 80s (particularly fascinating as I’m married to a fire fighter!!), and Believe in Magic - a chilling and shocking tale that challenges the notions of sickness and maternal love in a very disarming way.

On the lighter side I’ve been fanning the flames of my adoration for Annie MacManus through listening to her brilliant podcast ‘Changes’ which ‘explores how change punctuates our life’ and talks to a variety of guests about overcoming and navigating change. Also the gorgeous

sam baker

(formidable former editor-in-chief of publications such as Red and Cosmo) with her fab podcast ‘The Shift’ - ‘a frank, funny, sometimes heartbreaking podcast...that aims to tell the truth about being a woman post-40’. Amen to that.

The ‘Changes’ episode I just listened to with Louis Theroux is brilliant – he comes across as so natural, and just so interested in others, and that’s what I love. He gives great insight into the human connection that can be formed even with the most ostensibly abhorrent people (barring Jimmy Saville, who he found utterly chilling), and Annie is a superb podcast host.

Sam Baker’s interview with Women’s Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver has recently ‘dropped’ and it’s a goodie. Barbara was announced as the winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023, at the age of 68, with her novel Demon Copperhead - a reinvention of Dicken’s ‘David Copperfield’ set in modern times in her poverty struck home area of the US Appalachian Mountains. More on that when I have read the book, but her stories of the origin and inspiration of the book are delightful, and Sam’s interview with her is such a treat. 

What I’m watching

I’m going to keep this one super brief. There’s been a lot, but the absolute stand out is White Lotus. It absolutely 100% lives up to the hype. If you haven’t watched it yet, do it. That is all.

Thank you

So that’s me for now!!! I’ll provide another update when I’ve read and listened to the next batch or if there’s anything I just can’t keep to myself. There is a lot bubbling under!

Thank you for being here - I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, and let me know in the comments what you’ve been watching, reading, listening to. I’d love to know!

Love & lemons 🍋

Em x