Impostor Syndrome

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Goodreads, Historical fiction, Historical Writers'Association Unpublished Novel Award, History, HWA, LisaOwlBeSatReading, Maggie Richell-Davies, Maya Angelou, The Crimson Petal and the White, The Servant

Although our blog has covered the pain of impostor syndrome before – see Maggie’s Kafka sketch of February 7th 2020 – we feel it deserves another mention, especially if it is preventing you from doing your own writing. We are none of us impostors. If we write, we are writers…

Yet most of us do struggle from time to time with the impostor syndrome – the suspicion that we are not proper writers at all, but frauds. That we should take repeated rejections at face value and instead devote our time to learning Mandarin or perfecting our tennis serve. But ninevoices urge you not to give up. To persevere. Because only by persistence will you get a short story published; a book deal; a review of your work that makes your heart sing and all your hard work worth while.

In the last few days Lisa the Book Owl (website OwlBeSatReading) has published a review of Maggie Richell-Davies’ debut novel, The Servant, on both WordPress and Goodreads. Maggie has been rejected many, many times over the years – and written about the experience on this blog – but has refused to lay down either her pen or abandon her keyboard. That is why she has finally been published and why she is gaining some gratifying reviews.

Below is what Lisa has written about her book:

‘Once again, I appear to have chosen historical fiction that’s earned itself a place on my ‘best of 2022’ goodreads shelf.

Maggie Richell-Davies should never doubt her ability to spin a good yarn, The Servant had me hooked from the very first chapter.

Maggie contacted me on Twitter, asking if I would be interested in reading her novel, and on reading the synopsis, I had the feeling it would be the kind of story I’d enjoy.

Disgraced aristocracy, a house full of mysteries; including a locked library, the main character being able to secretly read and write, and characters so vile and despicably realistic, I wanted to shout and swear at them! What’s not to love when a story gives you all the ‘feels’.

The Servant reminded me in many ways of Michel Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White, a firm favourite of mine. The foulness and stench of the setting, the superbly immersive writing, the crass language. So much research went into this creative masterpiece. I’ve learned so much, having to look up words throughout, all adding to my enjoyment. To be both educated and entertained whilst experiencing an author’s imaginative story-telling is essential to the reading experience. It was the most memorable history lesson.

From the description of what people were wearing, to intricate detail of the furnishings, The Servant ticked every box. I couldn’t fault it.

“The Chinese cabinet is the thing I admire the most in that room because of the figures in strange costumes inlaid in the black lacquered wood. There is a river with two people on a hump-backed bridge, lovers perhaps, picked out in mother-of-pearl. A willow weeps from the sloping shore, with a building that might be a temple in the distance and a long-legged bird circling above. The lady holds a curious-looking umbrella and the couple look to be whispering beneath it. I would love to know their story.”

How clear is that piece of furniture in your mind’s eye from that perfect description?

The reactions of characters had me smiling, laughing, and visualising with ease.

“Perhaps she was a beauty in her youth, before her face turned to porridge.”

The way the opinions, thoughts and situations related to present day rang true throughout.

“The rich get away with everything,” Peg mutters, at my shoulder. “Always have. Always will.”

As I reluctantly came to the end of the story (I took my time, taking two weeks to finish as I loved it too much to let it go so soon!) the ‘End Note’ was simply the icing on this glorious historical cake. When an author takes time to explain their story, and its roots, it gives the reader more understanding and a bit of closure. I needed it because I was sad to see Hannah, Peg and Thomas go.

The Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) selected The Servant for their HWA/Sharpe Books Unpublished Novel Award 2020. It was completely deserving of this accolade and I’m hoping somebody, somewhere will take this gem of a novel under their wing and create a tv adaptation or film – I’d watch it with relish!

The Servant is an astonishing story of one woman’s steely determination. Do add it to your TBR piles, make a ‘Beat The Backlog’ exception for this one, because it is EXCEPTIONAL historical fiction. I will be recommending it to everyone.

Thank you, Maggie, for sending me a copy to review. It was a beautiful, dark pleasure.’

LisaOwlBeSatReading

Maggie is naturally ecstatic at this generous review and warns that she might have to buy larger-sized hats, since her head is becoming ridiculously swollen. More importantly, though she hopes that her example will keep you writing and submitting.

Her book is still available on Amazon, with the Kindle/ebook version a modest £1.99.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B087N8H9PB

The Servant: A Review

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Historical fiction, Just published, London's Foundling Hospital Museum, Maggie, Review

This month marks the publication of The Servant, an historical novel by ninevoices’ own Maggie Richell-Davies. Inspired by the author’s visit to the Foundling Hospital Museum in London and set in the latter half of the 18th century, The Servant tells the story of Hannah, the orphaned daughter of a silk weaver forced into service at the age of 15. At first Hannah is employed in the safe and nurturing home of a widow, Mistress Buttermere. But when circumstances change, she is obliged to move to the sinister Chalke household where, in addition to hard work and cruelty, she encounters mystery, villainy and danger.

The Foundling Hospital’s clients were largely from the servant class, women who had little in the way of education, even less in the way of rights, and were therefore ripe for exploitation, as Hannah’s story in The Servant so vividly illustrates. The author shows with sometimes excruciating period detail the difficult lives of housemaids, cooks, beggars, and fallen women. For example, when desperate circumstances force Hannah to leave the Chalkes, she is led by her friend and co-worker to the only relatively safe lodgings she can afford: ‘We reach a stinking network of courtyards, washing frozen into ragged shapes on sagging ropes, and stop before a derelict house. Wooden planks are nailed over most of the windows… Inside, the stench is like a buffet in the face and I bite the edge of my shawl to stop my stomach heaving… damp mottles the walls as if they have a scabrous disease.’

The novel is beautifully (‘The sky is pewter rubbed with sharp sand.’) and economically written with strong characterizations. Hannah’s first sighting of Mistress Chalke in the opening pages fills us with dread: ‘…the visitor is ramrod straight. Hands twisting like snakes in the lap of her black gown…The eyes…sharp as a skinning knife.’

Despite the peril and powerlessness of her position, Hannah finds reserves of strength and ingenuity to both survive and act to bring about justice. In this she is aided by Peg, as downtrodden a scullery maid as ever there was, and other women who act in defiance of men’s control. My favourite of these is Fat Nellie, a wise and strong-minded woman who minds children in the lodging next to Hannah’s and provides practical assistance without expectation of return. I’d have liked to see more of Nellie, especially at the end of the book.

Unlike most women of her class, Hannah can read and write. Her intellectual curiosity endears her to farmer Thomas, a thoughtful and well-read widower who delivers milk to the Chalke household. It also drives her to discover the nature of the Chalke’s villainy and seek to end it.

All in all this is a satisfying novel rich in historical detail with a sympathetic heroine battling to survive the injustices of the age.

The Servant, which won the Historical Writers’ Association 2020 Unpublished Novel Award, is available via Amazon on Kindle at a very affordable £2.99, and paperback at £7.99. 

2,000 words a day

Tags

Historical fiction, Melanie Dobson, Writing discipline

2,000 words a day.

2,000 words a day, then revise them the next day.  That for 5 days a week.   That’s how at least one professional writer works.

Last week I found myself in conversation with Melanie Dobson, author of 16 (repeat, 16) published novels and novellas.  They are historical romance, suspense and contemporary stories.  Her website gives details (www.melaniedobson.com).  The 2,000 words a day is her writing discipline: she also builds into her year a set time for research trips, and produces one or two novels a year.

Melanie lives in Oregon and was on a research tour in Britain when we spoke.  She had done Churchill’s home at Chartwell in the morning and was at the National Trust’s Scotney Castle in Kent in the afternoon when she met our party.  From Kent she was to go all the way to the Lake District the following day.  I must look out for the next novel to see the results of the research …

A previous research trip to England – where she explored “ancient passageways in Oxford, quaint villages in the Cotswolds, the peaceful estuary near Bristol, and the busy streets of London” – preceded Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor.  (You can see photos from that trip on the website – and I can say that I’ve drunk in the pub that features there.)   Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor is a romantic historical mystery that “brings light to the secrets and heartaches that have divided two families for generations”.

There’s a page on the website headed ‘Write What You Don’t Know’ (http://melaniedobson.com/research/writing-resources/write-what-you-dont-know/) which gives her hints on how to ignore the usual advice to write what about you do know, by finding out about what you don’t.

Melanie’s website also gives details of places where information can be found on autism, adoption, panic attacks, cultic abuse and gambling addiction – subjects she knows about through her own experience or through her research for her books.