tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post5638775653816568709..comments2023-06-06T08:13:43.101-07:00Comments on Vanessa Gebbie's news: Review of Bubble on Vulpes LibrisVanessa Gebbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00833187671441310234noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-61122224842708337872009-08-09T09:40:10.132-07:002009-08-09T09:40:10.132-07:00Hi Vanessa, it's an interesting review. honest...Hi Vanessa, it's an interesting review. honest is the word perhaps, although it is one person's view so... <br /><br />I haven't read your book yet, one of many on my to read list. I did however read your story in the one world anthology which I adored... <br /><br />Looking forward to reading more, <br /><br />Annie xannie clarksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02142921731812954985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-6734943144315752112009-08-09T04:12:24.098-07:002009-08-09T04:12:24.098-07:00Thanks all, lovely words.
Anne's comments are...Thanks all, lovely words.<br /><br />Anne's comments are very valuable - and without my commenting on the work in this book (a useless passtime now anyway), those comments will prompt me to take care when editing in future, to ensure I don't undo 'passion' in the search for something else that is good. I hadn't even thought of the possible distinction and am grateful. <br /><br />Its all about collecting different tools for the writing toolbox. And learning when to use the bleedin things!Vanessa Gebbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00833187671441310234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-75050447592366824042009-08-09T04:11:48.969-07:002009-08-09T04:11:48.969-07:00Hi Julia. For me, it was the rawness of Vanessa...Hi Julia. For me, it was the rawness of Vanessa's writing that hit home. By which I mean I felt absolutely connected to the characters and their lives - there wasn't that distance which I associate with a certan kind of professional writing and which can have the effect of holding the reader behind an invisible rope from where we're supposed to admire but not quite connect. In V's stories I felt right THERE, getting dirty and messy and hurt and helped, right along with the characters. If that makes any sense..! I'm pre-caffeine here. It's not a pretty sight.Sarah Hilaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03379986260169703599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-90874779890961288592009-08-09T03:11:56.395-07:002009-08-09T03:11:56.395-07:00Well said Sarah. The debate is mature, intelligent...Well said Sarah. The debate is mature, intelligent and open. I don't that polish and passion cannot live together in a short story collection. Professionalism and talent is all about marrying the two. In Vanessa's collection, there is a very happy marriage....Julia Bohannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256768387861899456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-90491067920650498822009-08-08T11:47:24.239-07:002009-08-08T11:47:24.239-07:00Just popped across to say I think it's great t...Just popped across to say I think it's great that V and A (!) can enjoy this sort of civilised and enlightening exchange, no hint of sour grapes or negativity, just two writers respecting one another's opinion and agreeing to differ. A breath of fresh air. Brava!Sarah Hilaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03379986260169703599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-28164692276423235052009-08-08T10:41:29.657-07:002009-08-08T10:41:29.657-07:00Thanks for all the comments - been out for the day...Thanks for all the comments - been out for the day, meeting old school friends, two not seen since 1968! Great fun.<br />And thanks again for the review Anne. I was reading a book on the train for review - and ploughing through work I would have put down were it not for a promise to read and comment!<br />Clarifying comp topic: I just write. Always have. And then when a call for a comp came up, I looked to see what I had that was 'good enough' in my view, polished it and sent it off. There was never much sitting on the computer. Stuff got written then sent out quite fast.<br />Maybe I over-polished for some tastes? Dunno! Can't comment on the demands for MAs, never done any! But your comments are very interesting, really valuable. Thank you.<br /><br />Hi Pierre - good to hear from you. Thank you for supporting the One Book Campaign. It was brave thing to do, and has meant that Salt can keep going over what would have been a very difficult few months, I believe. <br /><br />Of course I value them, I would, they are my publisher! But they are also a very well-respected established publisher of great poetry as well as one of the most dedicated publishers of short fiction. They have a hugely valuable role to play, countering the ever-growing influence of the huge faceless publishing houses - a brave lot. And lovely with it.<br /><br />Vanity publishing? Huh? Not in the same paragraph as the word 'Salt', let alone the same sentence! They would be appalled.<br /><br />Lauri... have a slice of cake. Chocolate. With sparkly topping. And icing. And a second helping!Vanessa Gebbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00833187671441310234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-53635936378371559052009-08-08T07:14:02.329-07:002009-08-08T07:14:02.329-07:00You can't win for losing. I think this may be ...You can't win for losing. I think this may be the very reason I may be drifting away from short story writing. <br /><br />If you want to make any money with short stories, in my experience, you must submit to contests and that means you write stories you intend to submit for a certian contest or, alternatively, you choose stories you've already written that fill the bill (still a sort of grooming) . I don't think one is any better than the other. <br /><br /> I would expect contests to be the edge that helps define the borders for what a good short story looks like. To get a collection published, the stories must be good. If the stories have won contests then by definition (if we have agreed to my earlier assertion) they are good. <br /><br />(Just writing that has made my head hurt. I think I need tea... and cake. )Laurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11112458658109887868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-16635162018755480502009-08-08T01:40:23.584-07:002009-08-08T01:40:23.584-07:00I am slightly confused. I think the above comment ...I am slightly confused. I think the above comment by Anne Brooke must have just been approved, because I didn't notice it as I was writing my own comment.pierre lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01371090008924140199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-78849202954011601102009-08-08T01:35:05.012-07:002009-08-08T01:35:05.012-07:00It does seem like a strange review, stating off wi...It does seem like a strange review, stating off with a large paragraph against Salt Publishing followed by "Anyway, I appreciate I’m a lone voice here, so enough said". It sounds as though your book would have been great if it had been published by someone else...<br />I am very pleased that Salt had this campaign -- I bought books that looked interesting to me, not just random books to help keep them going.I would have been very sad if they had just disappeared from one day to the next, without asking for help. And they actually delivered the books I ordered. As for comparing Salt with vanity publishing, words fail me.pierre lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01371090008924140199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674510287177469473.post-17708983939228043702009-08-08T01:02:39.214-07:002009-08-08T01:02:39.214-07:00I'm happy to explain what I meant, of course, ...I'm happy to explain what I meant, of course, Vanessa! You only have to ask.<br /><br />:))<br /><br />Though, as I said in my review, I find it difficult to put the difference between competition and non-competition into words, myself. As I implied, it's something in the veneer of smoothness which somehow minimises the passion, I think. Much like the way there's a strange "sameness" these days to some of those books written as part of a creative writing MA course. There are of course special demands for competition and MA work, which may make the difference? It's hard to say!<br /><br />I also regret the use of the word "bash" in terms of my thoughts on Salt. I like to think I was simply expressing an opinion (which did have a view on how I felt about the book, though I tried to acknowledge that and put it to one side in my review, as I admitted). Naturally I do appreciate it's one with which nobody else will agree. 'Twas ever thus.<br /><br />Many thanks for the link, however, and I do wish you all the best with future work, which I shall watch with great interest!<br /><br />AxxxAnne Brookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03982495677389302410noreply@blogger.com