The never-ending book shelf
November 20th 2006 01:25
In my fantasy house (the palace-like structure that lives in my head) there’s no indoor swimming pool or state of the art private cinema - there’s a library.
In this room all four walls are floor to ceiling bookshelves, every shelf is full of books, and there’s a ladder that slides from one end to the other. Actually, in terms of this dream becoming a reality, I’m not far off.
Sure, I don’t have a room that’s technically a library – no large bookshelves, no sliding ladder – but I do have enough books to fill a library. In fact, I suspect I have enough books to fill a public library. I have been reading for about 35 years (I started young) and I am an avid reader - and I have never thrown away a book.
Which makes for a large – and ecclectic – collection of books. I have all the Enid Blyton books my mother read to me as a child; I have some rare first editions I started to collect a few years back; I have books in French as well as in English; and I have crappy paperbacks I get sent to review. I have fiction, I have biographies, I have pulp fiction and I have the classics. You want it? Chances are I have it – and three others by the same author.
The thing is, I can’t throw away a book because I have a relationship with all of them. I know the characters intimately. I know where I was when what happened to them happened. I care about the characters. To me, throwing away a book would be like throwing away a friend. Or a diary.
One dark day, a few years ago, the unthinkable happened. My partner accidentally urinated on one of my bookshelves. And one day I will share the story. When I can tell it without breaking out in hives and involuntarily twitching…
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Comment by Milly
Travel Adventures
The questioning mind
That's hilarious. But may I ask, how can you accidently piss on a book shelf? DId he mistake it for the toilet in a state of drunken confusion?
I've read most of the classics, but at the moment I'm trying to get into Aussie authors. Do you have any recommendations?
Comment by Margaret
If you are looking for aussie authors I have to ask, have you read my book?? (How to be French by Margaret Ambrose)
Comment by Milly
Travel Adventures
The questioning mind
Comment by Margaret
Advice? Well, first of all write it! Publishers will almost never purchase an idea or concept for a book, especially by an unestablished author.
Then, sell it! You need to explain very explicitly why your book will make them lots of money. Not "This book is well written and has the reader guessing to the end". More "Mysteries are big sellers at the moment, in the UK they make blah blah blah a year. Mysteries set in Australia sell particularly well..." That kind of thing.
You can also sell yourself. For example, "I have worked as a journalist for 10 years and I have a group of loyal readers who I know will be interested in reading my book..."
Milly, do you think I should write a post about tips for first time writers? I really had no idea about how it all works before my book came out, and I have learned a lot!
Comment by Milly
Travel Adventures
The questioning mind
I went to the Brisbane Writers' Festival a couple of months ago and met a couple of the authors there. They also said you should just write it, and allocate a couple of hours per day to writing it. How long ago did you write your book? Were you attending the festival?
Comment by Ash
Flashes of memories
Yes I can never understand how anyone would voluntarily throw a book away. I moved from Africa to Australia and the only thing I brought with (other than a few sentimental photos and nik-naks) I shipped all my books over - from the time I was born (almost!).
I remember as a child waiting for the last day of the month (my mum`s pay day!) when she would take me to the bookstore and I could choose a new title. I would write lists of all the books I had - by author, by title.... I love them!
YES! Please write a column on helping first time authors. I would LOVE to get some help on what to do and where to go. I have spent 6 years writing short stories about adventures I have had around the world and it is my dream that one day I will see it in print - it just takes the confidence to visualize it there!
Good luck with the library!
Ash
Comment by Milly
Travel Adventures
The questioning mind
Where in Africa do you come from? My mum is from Zimbabwe and I've been over there a couple of times. Despite all the horrible things Mugabe has done to the country, it's still a beautiful place to go. Where else have you travelled? SO are your short stories about the actual places? Are you always the main character?
Milly
Comment by Ash
Flashes of memories
Wow! Yes I am also from Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)! I was born there and lived there until I was 21and then went to UK and Europe for two years. I now live in Australia. I do miss my life back home, Africa is a very special and very spiritual land, but it is also a very hard and cruel land. I guess paradise has it`s price everywhere!
Well sometimes I write it is like a travelougue of where I have been, othertimes it will be a story based on an experience I have had but with fictional characters - it just depends really. I just love writing so I can also write complete nonsense when I want to!
Hope the library is going well!
Ash
Comment by Milly
Travel Adventures
The questioning mind
Will have to take a look at your posts when I get a chance. Africa really is unique. I absolutely loved the Vic Falls and Wange (is that how it's spelt?). We went to Leopard Rock too, which was so tranquil and pretty. My uncle is still over there, but the rest of the family has emigrated. It's amazing how people become conditioned to live as they do over there. Every night he parks his car right up against the wall because people steal his headlights all the time. And everyone has an electric fence around their houses. It's crazy. I suppose Australia must seem dismal compared to that lifestyle.
Comment by Ash
Flashes of memories
Yes it is a beautiful country. I remember camping in Hwange when I was young and listening to the elephants rustling in the bush around us. The next morning we woke up and there were lion prints right outside the camp, it was a great life.
When you live in a situation like Zim is in now you do learn to adapt to your environment. Dogs are not pets as such - they are more bodyguards to be your ears at night. All windows have burglar bars and after dark you don`t sit with the doors open unless you have security gates. Our house used to have an internal alarm system which would be activated when we went to sleep, leaving only the bedrooms unsensored. Petrol queues were town gatherings - one night we sat in one for 13 hours! Just park your car outside a garage in the hope that they would get a delivery, but you can`t leave it in case it gets stolen so everyone turned it into a big social!
My turning point was being hijaked outside my house one night after college. My friend and I were lucky to be left unharmed, but there are so many who are senslessly shot or stabbed etc. I left 6 years ago so I can only imagine what it is like now and I take my hat off to those who are still there, I know I couldnt do it! My old french teacher was murdered for no reason and two or three friends of the family. It is hard when someone you know passes away, but to know they have been murdered makes it that much harder.
It is not all bad though. You would never see such beauty or meet more kinder people than in ZImbabwe and it is just sad that the greed of one person has chased so many away. Thankfully we have Australia to call our new home, albeit different it is beautiful in it`s own unique way.
Best wishes to your uncle and look forward to reading more of your travel stories.
Ash
Comment by Anonymous