Blog: Mel's Muse - Archive for July 2010

Why My Marriage Bucks The One In Four Trend For Divorce

Posted: Saturday, 24th July 2010

I’m sitting in the lounge after lunch, about to resume writing my new book, when I hear Paul coming down the stairs.

“Could you let me have my bank card back, please,” I call out.

He has borrowed it to take to the Post Office, because the Sub Postmaster forgot to write my number on the back of the cheque he cashed for me the previous day.

“I’ve got it in my hand, right now,” he says, coming into the room. “Just been to get it from my trouser pocket.”

Telepathy? You could say that. Or perhaps it’s just that we know one another so well.

Articles on related themes: Marriage; Relationships; Inspirational; Stepfamilies

Read more »

Misery Memoir Genre: Do Grim Novels Dominate Book Market?

Posted: Wednesday, 14th July 2010

As an author I am, naturally, interested in the book market. Consequently, when I was shown a newspaper article a few months ago by a friend, about the continuing proliferation of misery memoir metamorphosing into a novel, I read it, avidly.

MISERY MEMOIR: WHAT IS IT?

The misery memoir genre came to prominence in the late 1990’s, with books like Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes – a literary masterpiece about the author’s grim childhood in Ireland – and the more controversial, A Child Called It by David Pelzer. Describing the abuse suffered at the hand of his alcoholic mother, Pelzer’s account was later refuted by his brothers and grandmother.

Articles on related themes: Creative Writing; Writing & Publishing A Book; Books, Reading & Words

Read more »

Guest Book Review: Picture Perfect By Jodi Picoult

Posted: Sunday, 11th July 2010

When I heard that Yvonne North (wife of author, Anthony North) was reading a book about domestic abuse I thought I must ask her if she would write a book review. I'm delighted to say that she agreed, and submitted the excellent appraisal that follows.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Jodi Picoult, as usual, has written an informative book, this time on the problems of domestic violence.

In Picture Perfect, the main character, Dr Cassandra Barrett teaches anthropology at UCLA. She meets and falls in love with Hollywood movie star Alex Rivers. However, what starts as a good marriage, soon turns to something not idealistic.

Read more »

How Key Personality Traits Affect The Writing Process

Posted: Thursday, 8th July 2010

If you are a book author and you’re writing non-fiction, how do you decide what material to put in and what to leave out? How, in fact, do you organise the content of your book?

WRITING AND PUBLISHING A BOOK

Chances are that if you’re an aspiring author and you haven’t yet approached a publisher, your ideas are simply floating around in your mind. But even for a published author this may be true – initially, at least, during the cogitative period. This is a natural part of the writing process and cannot be hurried.

Articles on related themes: Content; Writing & Publishing A Book

Read more »