Bookshelf

Like most writers I’m a voracious reader. My writing is influenced by and aspires to the same creative accomplishment as the following books.

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FEAR OF FLYING by ERICA JONG Although this was written in 1973 and I originally read it as part of my undergraduate studies in Literature and Cultural History, this novel had a massive impact on me which I developed into a dissertation. This novel is narrated by a female character embodying the conflict within the construction of female identity. Isadora Wing is married to a psychoanalyst and explores her relationship to herself, her mother, her husband, her father, her sisters, her fertility, her sexuality and her writing. Jong was audacious enough to consider what it means to be a feminist who actually loves, respects and enjoys men. Isadora concludes that the promiscuity of the sexual revolution was, ‘Desperation masquerading as freedom.’ That notion is sadly as poignant and relevant to the way many women establish a sense of worth today as it was then during the second wave of feminism. Jong is also an accomplished essay writer. Her collections What Do Women Want? Bread, Roses, Sex & Power, Fear of Fifty: A Mid Life Memoir and Seducing the Demon: Writing For My Life are not to be missed.

THE BEAUTIFUL INDIFFERENCE by SARAH HALL

This collection of short stories is simply masterful. Each story is crafted with the precision of a surgeon. Hall’s writing is understated yet powerful. This is especially true of her depictions of sexual encounters. Through reading this collection I learned that the spaces in a narrative, the unsaid is sometimes more powerful than graphic description. I learnt to respect the imagination of the reader and to create a space for this in the narrative. I was lucky enough to meet Sarah Hall in the Chapter & Verse literary festival in Liverpool in 2011 when she was reading from this collection. She was passionate about and absolutely dedicated to the craft of writing. I discussed the Masters in Writing I had just embarked on at the time with her and she was so encouraging stating that, ‘Good writing will always find it’s audience.’ Sarah reassured me to focus on the craft of writing and let the rest take care of itself!

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by VANESSA DIFFENBAUGH Victoria Jones was one of the most original heroines I had read in literature for years. This, combined with engaging prose and the intriguing device of expressing emotions through the Victorian art of flower languages inspired me to become evangelical about this story. I bought copies for all of the reading women I knew. Victoria endures the foster care system, homelessness and abuse. The novel deals with the impact of this in it’s themes of loneliness, trust, tenderness, maternal bonds and romantic love. This novel is touching without being sentimental, gritty without being gratuitous, moving without relying on conventions. This is a multi textured story which is rewarding on the second, third and fourth reading. Reflecting on the ways in which this character touched my heart, and hoping one day to have the same impact on a reader of my own, is what inspires me to keep writing when the going gets tough!

COME TO ME by AMY BLOOM

Bloom’s writing is exquisite. This is one of the finest collections of short stories I have ever read. I admire the way Bloom can place the reader in the story so quickly and establish a connection with a vast array of fascinating characters. The opening line to Love is Not a Pie hooks you into this collection immediately, ‘In the middle of the eulogy of my mother’s boring and heart-breaking funeral, I began to think about calling off the wedding.’ However, one of the greatest things I have learned from Bloom’s writing is the power of a truth statement as the final line of a story. Bloom’s last lines encapsulate the character, their predicament and the wisdom they have gleaned. Bloom’s last lines steal my breath. To truly experience those you will need to read the full collection and find out for yourself!

CHOCOLAT by JOANNE HARRIS This is sumptuous subject matter and sumptuous prose (and must be read with a fine array of hand-made artisan chocolates!) Set in a little French village, yet a kind of parallel world, this novel immerses you in a mystical space where the patriarchal power of the church is challenged by the goddess power of the old world, through the medium of chocolate. Harris creates a delicious range of female characters: Vianne Rocher, our free-spirited protagonist, Josephine Muscat, a woman suffering domestic abuse, Armande Voizin, a free spirited wise woman,  Caroline Voizin, Armande’s daughter aligned with patriarchy. Liberating, carnal yet also kind this tale is a spellbinding experience.

NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION by PATRICK GALE This is an original and beautiful story of Rachel Kelly, an artist who dies leaving behind various works of art. I delighted in reading this novel because it essentially reveals the character from various points of view using her artwork as a vehicle. It explores female identity and what it means to be a woman artist. I found the device of using Rachel’s artwork to explore who she was as a human being so original and captivating. It made me wonder what my writing may reveal about my own identity. The essence of this story resonated with me long after I closed the final page.

COWBOYS ARE MY WEAKNESS by PAM HOUSTON This collection of short stories is such a refreshing read. The theme underpinning most of the stories is how a strong independent woman can live in relationship with a strong independent man. Houston transported me through this collection to a world of white water rafting, hunting, country music and coyotes. I enjoyed experiencing what it felt like to step inside the skins of women from a completely different place, with completely different cultural references who had similar challenges being simultaneously attracted to and confused by the masculine.

QUENTINS by MAEVE BINCHY Quentins was one of the first novels which delighted me with its interlinking storylines. The various narratives are linked by Quentins restaurant run by Brenda Brennan. This novel is a guilty pleasure I re-read time and time again. The prose is the equivalent of sitting on the couch in your favourite pyjamas, wearing thick fluffy socks, wrapped in a quilt and drinking a cup of steaming hot chocolate whilst the rain taps at your window. Binchy’s stories are warm and touching. In a world which sometimes feels both corrupt and damned, Quentin’s will reassure you that decency, family, loyalty and love still matter.

BIG STONE GAP by ADRIANA TRIGIANI I admire this novel, and it’s sequels Big Cherry Holler and Milk Glass Moon, for it’s ability to transport the reader into a village community in the mountains of Virginia, USA. Being a fan of The Waltons as a child this place feels like a kind of sanctuary, however romanticised. Trigiani welcomes the reader in and creates a landscape, both physical and social, that you feel you belong to. I was fortunate enough to travel through these mountains as part of a voluntary project I was involved in some years ago and the mountains are as magnificent as Trigiani describes. Her work reminds me in my own writing that the landscape has an impact on the psyche of the characters who live within it.

THE HUSBAND’S SECRET by LIANE MORIARTY This novel is a master class in suspense and pace. Moriarty interweaves three separate narratives into one cohesive storyline. Each of the three main female characters was as distinct and engaging as the others which was a feat in itself. The conflicts, challenges and triumphs of each character were equally weighted and Moriarty establishes a distinct voice for each. The themes dealt with, loss, murder, betrayal, infidelity, are dark but are handled in such a deft ambiguous way that they are morally confusing and thought provoking too!

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