Conversations with Self: Book Launch

Showing posts with label Book Launch. Show all posts

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

A Book Review and An Interview Part 2

As promised, fellow bloggers, I'm back with Jessica Bell again. I've got 3 more questions answered by the lovely Jessica! (Thanks again, Jess!). But before that, let me tell you about her book, String Bridge and why I like it.

Blurb:
Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage--and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ...

Why I like it:

Definitely gripping. It might be a cliche to say it's 'unputdownable' but there isn't any other way to describe it. Just amazing.

With a storyline so consuming, it felt like being in some sort of a trance reading this book. I couldn't stop. It felt like being on a rollercoaster of emotions. Just when you think Melody is going to make a long-time dream come true, just when everything is all coming together - piece by piece...BANG! Everything shatters. How does Melody put all the pieces back together again? Where does she go? What is in store for her?

Intense writing. Outstanding dialogue. Impressive metaphors. Jessica Bell writes beautifully. String Bridge is a powerful novel.

One of my favourite parts (my ARC copy is full of markings!):

"I just want my mother's hugs. I need soothing maternal hugs without having to explain why. And even though the hugs are in the form of a gentle voice through a phone, I can still imagine these hugs - the reassuring scent of henna and coconut moisturizer - her smooth skin against my cheek as she kisses and breathes me in." - Page 164

Before I can reveal too much, I guess I must stop here. But let me tell you. This is definitely a MUST-READ.

and below is the rest of the interview. Hope you all enjoy it like I did!

*******
A Chat with Author Jessica Bell, Part Two:
The One where she talked about having children!

Len: In String Bridge, Melody has a daughter...do you see yourself being a mother yourself in the near future? Do you dream of having children?

Jessica: Oh yes, definitely. I love kids. But I'm really not sure I'm ready, to be honest. My "career" has just started to kick off, and I'm a bit worried about putting myself into Melody's shoes! lol But you know what? I'm not getting any younger, so I think I might just have to bite the bullet. Soon.

Len: There's a lot of humourous lines/parts in String Bridge that really made me chuckle. For example on page 165, you wrote: "Oh, how I'd love to squash someone's head between two trashcan lids. I could make music at the same time. Become a member of Stomp."

I think this is hilarious. Did they naturally come as you wrote the first draft?

Jessica: Nope. Usually that stuff comes in much later. These things are like extra touches. The icing on the cake, sort of thing.

Len: On page 213, you wrote (as Melody): "Somewhere up there is us, a happy us, in some parallel universe, living the way we're supposed to be. I truly believe that the earth is our practice ground - the place where we are to test things out, to make mistakes, to discover what we believe in, what we are passionate about. Death is when we move on and go up there - to the real world; to start again, to rectify our mistakes and live a happy and fulfilling existence. There is no hell. Earth is hell. This is where we are allowed to sin. Up there, is where we no longer want to."

I loved this part. It is very deep. I had to stop and think after reading this part...and then I read each word again, slowly, making every word feel like tiny morsels of food in my mouth, savouring them.

Which makes me ask this question: do you personally believe this? Do you believe in the life after death?

Jessica: Firstly can I just say, that what I love about reading is savoring phrases. When I find things like this, I underline them and mark the page on the inside of the cover. When I find things I want to underline, the book becomes a prized possession and will never leave my bookshelf, not even into borrowing hands. That said, I am SO THRILLED, you felt like this about something in MY book!!! Did you know that that is the only thing I have ever wanted from my readers? This is the most exciting moment, I have to tell you. This is what I wanted. I wanted people to savor my words. So thank you so much, Len, thank you for savoring them!!!

In answer to your question, yes, I believe this. I am not a follower of any particular religion, and I don't believe in "God" the way many do. But I do believe there is something greater than us out there. And I believe there is so much more than what we experience here. I truly think the earth is our playground where we grow, learn, pick up our own shit. But I don't believe that our transitions happen chronologically. I believe it's possible we have already moved on in some other time frame. I believe we are whatever and wherever we imagine ourselves to be.

****

Jessica, thank you once again. It's such a pleasure to have you on my blog.

And...

Congratulations on being on the Bestselling List on Amazon!!!!

*****

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the book above from the publisher for an honest review and I was not compensated for this review.

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

A Chat with Author Jessica Bell

Jessica Bell, one of my favourite people in blogosphere is launching her book, String Bridge this month! YaY! Let's do the happy dance for Jessica!

I have a bit of good news - I have Jessica on my blog today!

If you are a regular visitor to this blog, you will probably notice that some of the questions I asked Jessica were the usual questions I'd ask an author. I hope that this will not bore you - but the truth is, I really wanted to know her answers to these questions. Now, my biggest mistake was this: I did not ask her a single question about her debut novel, String Bridge!!! Arrrrrghhhh! Yes, I know, I've hit my head on the wall several times already today. Looking back, I think that the mistake was because I sent her the interview questions months before I got a copy of String Bridge. And I wanted to ask questions after reading the book. Now. I need to calm myself down. I am posting my review on String Bridge on 15th November...I'm hoping it is not too late to ask Jessica a couple more questions. If I get lucky, the answers will be posted with the book review, how's that?

I'm happy now. Hope you are, too.

Now, friends, let's have Jessica!

Len: What was your job before you made the decision to become a writer?

Jessica Bell: An English text book writer/editor for English Language Teaching materials. Still am.

L: Do you write full time?

JB: Nope. Whenever I can fit it in!

L: Who are the authors that influenced your writing?

JB: Marilynne Robinson

Margaret Atwood

Raymond Carver

Gwen Harwood

Anne Lamott

Rebecca Miller

L: I am really interested to know this - what are your most favourite books - the ones that you will be happy to read over and over again?

JB: Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson is the only book I have ever read multiple times. I still find new things in it too. It’s an acquired taste, though; not for everyone. You need to read it and savor it. You can’t read this book for the story. You have to read it for the sheer brilliance of language.

L: What do you look for when reading a book? Do you pick it up because of its cover or do you take friends’ recommendations when choosing one?

JB: I actually don’t pay much attention to covers, I think it’s the blurb which is the first thing I look at. Mind you, if the cover looks tacky and cut and pasted together in five minutes, you can forget it, unless the book was written by a friend, then there’s no chance. Might be a bit shallow, but there’re only so many hours in a day, right?

L: (*Laughing* Because secretly, she agrees...hahahahaha!)

L: You write poetry and literary fiction (aside from being a Singer and Songwriter), do you have to switch from one to the other - I mean, from being a poet to a novelist and vice versa depending on what you are writing?

JB: All of my writing begins quite raw, so no, I don’t really have to switch, because the bulk of my creativity comes when I begin to embellish the content that’s already written, and I have the same system for both fiction an poetry. I write, I tweak, I color in.

*Len whispers to blog readers: Have you heard all about it? Jessica did not only write a book. She also wrote and recorded a song for it...no, let me correct that, she recorded an album! Yes, all for her book, String Bridge!

L: How do you deal with writer’s block?

JB: I don’t suffer from it much because I don’t ever force myself to write. I really do think that writing when you want to is the key. The rule, that we must write every day, just doesn’t work for me. If I write every day, my creativity runs dry.

L: Please can you tell us about the challenges you had to face on the road to publication? I’m sure a lot of our blogger friends would like to know.

JB: Hmm … challenges … rejections, rejections, tears, tears, conflicting advice, rejections, tears, conflicting advice … need I say more?

L: Any current projects that you are working on?

JB: Yes, MUTED, which was inspired by a short story I wrote for an anthology called TINY DANCER. Here’s my current blurb:

It's illegal to wear clothes. In some streets, it's also illegal to sing without accompanying instruments. Concetta, a famous Italian a cappella singer from before “the change,” now living in Arles, France, breaks these laws. As punishment, her vocal chords are brutally slashed and her eardrums surgically perforated. Unable to cope living a life without song, she resolves to drown herself in the river clothed in a dress stained with performance memories. But Concetta's suicide attempt is cut short as someone grabs her by the throat and pulls her to the surface. Is it the busking harpist, who encouraged her to feel music through vibration, acting as savior? Or a street warden on the prowl for another offender to detain?

L: Thank you very much once again, Jessica. Is there anything you’d like to add or tell your friends and supporters out there?

JB: Have you crossed the String Bridge yet? Hahahahaha …

L: Yes I have! I have! And I loved it! Congratulations once again on your debut novel!

*****

How about you, blog friends? Have you crossed the String Bridge yet? If you haven't yet, here are the links:

Jessica's links:
String Bridge Website: http://www.stringbridge.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11502954-string-bridge