Karen Comer

Collecting Stories

Lincoln in the Bardo – book review

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I was almost about to apologise for taking so long to read this much-discussed book, winner of the Man Booker Prize in 2017. But I will not, because I have read many other wonderful books in that time! But I’m so glad I’ve now read Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, both for the story and the structure.

The story is about President Lincoln’s eleven-year-old son, Willie, who dies and is buried. Lincoln returns a few times to the graveyard to hold his son’s body. This is all based on historical documents.

Saunders has taken these facts and woven a story told by the multiple ghosts in the graveyard, as well as using a few historical sources.

At first the effect of these multiple voices, sometimes one liners, sometimes a few pages, is jarring. Who are all these voices, how to keep track of them? But once you’re a little way in, you start to recognise the voices without even needing to flick to the name of the voice beneath the extract.

Fun fact – 166 actors were needed to record the audio book!

To have all these voices, quite distinctive, gradually revealing parts of their own story while they watch the President embrace his dead son makes for compelling reading.

And if you think that ghosts are static characters who can’t change, think again!

This is such a memorable read – one of my favourites for the year. I only finished it last night and am looking forward to discussing it with someone who has read it! So if you’ve read it, let me know in the comments.

Equal parts creativity and logic

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Dear blog readers, it’s been a little while. My family has faced a couple of obstacles in the last month which have taken up my time, attention and energy. And then there’s lockdown #6…

However, I am pleased to report that I am almost ready to send off my second book to my agent for her thoughts in a few days. Working on this third draft has been a mix of strategies – equal parts creativity and logic. One of my characters is a violinist, the other is a street artist – both creative teenagers.

I have used the talented writer Asphyxia’s art book methods for brainstorming and planning this book. It has been so incredibly helpful to have a visual place to keep all my ideas and nut out all my questions. I have deliberately kept it messy – sometimes the neatness of a journal can be intimidating – and there is nothing neat about writing a book!

I have also used a table as a different way to visualise my story. This helps me with the practical side of things – dates, tension, character arc. I can see instantly whether my stakes are a little light in a particular scene. When you can’t see the wood for the trees, it helps to have a way to separate out the different elements. It might not be as pretty as an art journal but it’s just as useful!

And part logic, part creative, the third thing which has really helped me write this book is the walks and talks I’ve had with my husband and one of my brothers. When they ask me about my book, and I tell them I’m stuck with one particular thread, their questions have helped me pinpoint where the problem is as well as possible solutions. Walking along the Darebin Creek has been a huge source of creativity for me during lockdown!

I hope that this month has been kind to you. Let me know in the comments whether you’re a creative or practical person for solving problems, or a combination of both.

Taking stock

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Time to take stock! I don’t know about you, but my head is spinning with COVID news, eased restrictions, Olympic medals and everything else from the mundane to the marvellous! This list comes from Pip Lincolne’s blog, Meet me at Mike’s.

Making: a weaving with pink and cream wools, fibres and fabrics. Making up the pattern as I go along. So close to finishing…

Cooking: a big leg of lamb, slow-cooked in tomato passata, shredded and served with sourdough bread, red capsicums, spinach and feta cheese.

Sipping: tea – English breakfast, rooibos and peppermint

Reading: so many young adult books, too many to name!

Looking: at the streetscape from my study window – sunny with a gentle breeze that moves the bare branches of the birches

Listening: classic violin songs – I’m working out what my violinist character would play!

Wishing: Sydney’s COVID situation improves…

Enjoying: a quiet house after the kids have returned to school. I know I’m not the only one!

Waiting: for the weekend so I can see my kids play sport – it seems like a long time

Liking: today’s sun

Loving: all the ideas swirling in my head for my books

Buying: a new book – The art of is by Stephen Nachmanovitch

Watching: bits of the Olympics – go Aussies!

Hoping: I’ll still be able to go on a writing retreat in regional NSW in September

Needing: to spend an hour of power sorting out admin ‘stuff’

Wearing: a blue jumper with a subtle cream trim – soft, cosy and I definitely feel more creative when I wear it

Following: the ABC’S coronavirus blog

Noticing: how quickly my kids are growing

Sorting: washing, there’s always washing

Getting: a warm fuzzy feeling when I observe how kind my community is, particularly during the recent lockdown

Saving: my plastic bags to return to Coles

Bokmarking: so much! Lots of sites on violin music and writing

Coveting: a pair of black boots

Opening: up my middle-grade manuscript to new possibilities

Giggling: at Mr 12’s tracksuit pants which are way too short for him (not in front of him, though!)

Feeling: a little bit of pressure to finish my two books quickly

Hearing: the birds outside the study window

Obsessing: over the ABC blog

Let me know how you are taking stock this week. Have a lovely weekend!

Readings YA Prize announcement

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This post was going to be all about the wonderful night Miss 14 and I had last night at the Readings Young Adult Prize announcement, held at the State Library. The Prize recognises exciting emerging voices in Australian young adult literature. Miss 14 was going in her capacity as a Readings teen advisory board member (corporate-sounding title, isn’t it!) and I was going because I love young adult books (and I’m writing one!).

However, due to the fifth Melbourne lockdown beginning at midnight, we decided not to go, even though technically we could have gone. Not worth the risk.

However, I can still bring you the vital information. The shortlisted books were:

  • Future girl by Asphyxia
  • The end of the world is bigger than love by Davina Bell
  • The F team by Rawah Arja
  • The boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
  • Metal fish, falling snow by Cath Moore
  • Where we begin by Christie Nieman.

Miss 14 has read all six titles, I have two more to read.

Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers, especially Asphxia who won the Prize. Miss 14 reviewed Future Girl here – a gorgeously illustrated novel, set in the future, narrated by a Deaf teenager.

Here’s hoping we will all be able to gather together soon.

Some news… a literary agent

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I have some news to share – I have a literary agent! Danielle Binks from Jacinta di Mase Management offered to represent me. Dream come true!

I signed up through the CYA conference for a few manuscript assessments, and sent in the first 2,500 words of my middle-grade verse novel.

Even before our meeting, Danielle asked to see the full manuscript. Our online meeting last weekend was a quick exchange of pitches and questions – and then an offer for representation with the contract emailed within an hour!

I am beyond thrilled Danielle is my agent – her passion and knowledge for the middle-grade and young adult Australian market is exceptional.

Danielle will now pitch my middle-grade and young adult verse novels to publishers later in the year.

Danielle is also an author – her middle-grade book, The years the maps changed came out last year and her young adult novel, The monster of her age, will be published next month by Hachette.

You can see my profile on the JDM website here!

Kind eyes

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I’ve been working at different levels through my three books – revisiting my first book in preparation for a couple of online conferences this month, polishing the second draft of my second book and gathering ideas for my third book, at this stage a fragile bubble of an idea.

Looking at these three separate ideas, I’m observing both the influences from other writers as well as the experiences in my life which, although separate, have grown into connections, plots, characters, books.

A constant thread is my need for kind eyes – in writing and in life. Look at these characters, I want to say, look at what they’re going through. See how they suffer through their own unknowing or the circumstances they find themselves in.

It’s the same way I look at my friends, my family, my community. Look at these people, I want to say, look at what they’re going through. See how they suffer – she is worried about her widowed mother in another state, he is not happy in his job, she is lonely after her divorce, he is at a loss as to how to parent his child, she weeps at being separated from her children.

And there are always the smaller moments, my favourite ones to write and observe. Look at my character, see his joy at playing basketball with his daughter – this moment is everything he thought parenthood would be.

Observe my friend – she is tired, her work is overwhelming, she doesn’t have the energy to go grocery shopping for her family, her hair is greying at the roots (that hair I once braided for her in Year 8) but see how she lights up when her child sidles up to her for a cuddle and see how he smiles when she whispers she has a bolognaise sauce to defrost from the freezer.

See my fifteen-year-old girl character, see how she banters with her bestie on the way home from school and steals a chip from the greasy box from the fish and chip shop.

Look at my friends, this couple – watch how she beckons him in a crowded room with her eyes, see how he smiles, walks towards her, places his hand on her hip, see for a moment their younger selves.

Look at them with kind eyes – see them all.

Two new YA novels

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Miss 14 is part of the Readings teen advisory board for 2020 and she is lucky enough to receive advance copies of young adult books. And I am lucky enough to read them, too! This week, I read two wonderful young adult books.

The boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough was published in February 2020 and Henry Hamlet’s heart by Rhiannon Wilde is due out next month.

I loved the characters in Henry Hamlet’s heart – Henry’s family, including his bisexual Gran, is quirky, and his group of mates are believable, authentic teens. Henry is geeky, literary, clumsy and hasn’t kissed a girl. He’s in his last year of school and doesn’t know what he wants to do – or be. His best mate Len has always been there, and now he’s both pulling back and leaning forward in unexpected ways.

The boy from the Mish is about Jackson, a seventeen-year-old Aboriginal boy. His aunty and her kids come to visit for Christmas, bringing with them a boy called Tomas who has spent time in ‘juvie’. Jackson has always thought he’s straight – you couldn’t really be anything else in the Mish – but after spending time with Tomas, he’s not so sure.

Two fabulous reads with wonderful characters that kept me up way past my bedtime!

Fabrics to break up the words

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I’m in the middle of three editing projects. I’m in the middle of editing my young adult verse novel. I’m in the middle of explaining two Shakespeare plays, one for Miss 14 and one for Mr 17. And I’m deep in the middle of the ABC website, following their coronavirus blog like many other Victorians.

I need a break from words!

So I’m going to immserse myself in a different type of material. Fabric!

Ever since our family friend C (long-time blog reader!) gave us a wedding quilt (23 years ago!), and then helped me make my first one, I have dabbled in quilt-making. I made one for each of my three babies, plus another couple. I finished the bugs and butterfly one above during last year’s second lockdown.

I have a few boxes of my kids’ baby clothes that hold many stories. I did give away most of the clothes to younger cousins and friends but there were a few special pieces I wanted to keep. Mr 17’s green checked shirt that he wore on his second Christmas. Miss 14’s red gingham dress with the white pom-poms. Mr 11’s blue linen shorts that are almost threadbare because he wore them so often. Some pieces I’ll keep as they are – too beautiful to cut up – but there are so many pretty patterned fabrics that will most likely never see the light of day unless I repurpose them.

I’ve washed the baby clothe and have drawn up a rough design. I know quilting is an accurate craft and I know I have a tendency to dive headfirst into projects but I’m going to wing this one. It’ll look good in my head! My husband always reminds me, ‘Measure twice, cut once!’

A couple of friends are going to make a quilt, too, in this, our winter quilt challenge!

I am hoping that while I cut and sew this quilt made of my children’s stories, that some of the tangled storylines in my verse novel will loosen themselves while I give my mind a rest.

A beautiful question

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I recently finished reading Sarah Wilson’s This one wild and precious life, a book on climate change and activism. Her title comes from Mary Oliver’s poem, The summer day, which asks us to question what we will do to make the most of our brief, wonderful life.

Wilson’s book is full of a range of sources from conversations with the Dalai Lama, interviews with Bill McKibben, phone calls with Sister Joan Chittister, books from James Hollis. Her book alone could give you a reading list for a year, and she has many resources on her website here. She also wove in personal stories and accounts of her hikes through different parts of the world.

It would take me quite a few blog posts to discuss her ideas, so I’ll focus on just one. She quotes David Whyte, the Irish poet, who asks – but what is the most beautiful question here?

‘I’ve heard David explain that asking the more beautiful question (invariably the courageous one) delivers us the answer we seek. A question can often be laced with blame or rage. (‘Why did he do that to me?’ ‘Why won’t she just learn to recycle properly?’) But when we dig a few layers deeper to the more delicate, beautiful question (‘What need in me is not being met?’ ‘How can I better connect with this person?’), we find ourselves going to a kinder, more considered place in ourselves and each other.‘

Wilson also frames it this way later in the book when she quotes Jungian psychologist James Hollis who suggests asking:

‘by way of a technique for living a true life: ‘Does this choice enlarge or diminish?’ Now that is a beautiful question. Hollis added that in most circumstances, when we ask this question, we should know the answer immediately. We do, don’t we, when we’re brave enough to put things through this simple lens.

What is the most beautiful question you could ask yourself right now? Will your next choice enlarge or diminish?

Blood moon – the book and the event

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Reading a book called Blood Moon during the week there was a blood moon is definitely synchronicity!

The title of Lucy Cuthew’s young adult verse novel is so apt – it’s about British fifteen-year-old Frankie, who unfortunately gets her period during an intimate moment with a boy she likes. Frankie is a science nerd who works at the planetarium and spends every full moon night with her best friend Harriet in their old treehouse. The poem below comes at the end of the book, when Frankie and Harriet watch a blood moon.

We set up the telescope,

watching red

seep into the moon

at its edge….

Blood red,

impossibly lustrous,

suspended over us

three hundred and eighty-four thousand

kilometres

away.

The beauty of the blood moon

reminds me that

the universe is huge

and we are tiny,

but so lucky,

because we get to

witness its beauty.

On Wednesday night, my family watched the moon rise over our back fence. My phone pinged with messages from friends in Victoria and other states – photos of their russet-red moon risings.

So wonderful to watch a beautiful moon from your backyard.

Take care, Victorian readers – I hope you feel the moon’s calmness over the next week.