Sara Stockbridge's Blog

It's a whole year since I blogged. I really am rubbish at it. In January 2010, says my last post, I was dreading an impending meeting with my publisher...
Well they did make more 'we're not loving it anymore' noises and I came out of the meeting rather glum. By the time I got out of the building I had decided to shelve NINE YARDS (the book in question) rather than bashing away any longer and making it into something I wasn't going to like either. And once I got home and had a tea I stopped sulking and got straight to work on something else called CROSS MY PALM, which happily they did love, and which is with the copy editor right now! Hurrah! What a difference a year makes.
CROSS MY PALM is set in London, 1860. It's about a fortune teller, and it's scheduled for July (Chatto). I'm really pleased with it. Obviously I hope lots of people will read it and like it too.
And NINE YARDS is still on the shelf though I haven't tried wrestling with it again yet.
I hope 2011 is going well for everyone so far xx

I have a meeting with my editors on Wednesday and I have to say I'm glad but I'm dreading it a bit too. 'There are still a few things that aren't quite working for me' - what could it mean? I'm just being spoilt. I want them to go back to saying they love it. I hope they do, still. Aaaargh! I hope I'm just making a meal of it before the event and that I'm not going to find myself fighting to keep favourite characters, scenes etc.
Anyhow I think I have a title - NINE YARDS - 'They say that in London you are never further than nine yards from a rat. In South London you are never further than nine yards from a drug dealer.'
Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2010 is going well so far for you all.

Foyles bookshop, yesterday evening. Highbrow talk about Roberto Bolano, given by three very intellectual men. One university professor, name of Rory something, liked the sound of his own voice rather a lot. Especially when speaking Spanish. One very nice gentlemanly older fellow name of Euan Cameron, who directed proceedings. And the other, William Skidelsky, whose aquaintance I made last week on the judging panel for Literary Death Match. It did throw some light on the doorstop that is 2666, which I enjoyed (is that the word?) but knew a great deal of had sailed right over my head. William was the best. Me, first hand up to ask rather tangled question about relentlessly long 'Part about the Killings'. Rory Something, quizzical look (which I may be attributing unfairly due to my own sense of intellectual inferiority) and part-helpful-part-guff answer. Benign smile from Euan. And then perfect summing up by William, who said "So, to get back to the question of what it's all about.." Which was just what I wanted to know but didn't want to say. So thank you to him for being particularly illuminating. I really could have listened to him speak for much longer than he did. He's taking part in some more talks, coming up, so if you like that kinda thing, there you go.

I'm judging at Literary Death Match tonight. Bit nervous at the prospect of having to find interesting/amusing things to say about the very clever people who are participating. Oo-er. And haven't decided what to wear yet. It's going to be super duper. Check out the line up on the link below. Maybe see some of you there xx

http://www.LiteraryDeathMatch.com

Started well. It's sunny outside. In England! At the arse end of October! And the clocks have gone back, givng me (the illusion of) an extra hour to be late for things. How does everyone always seem to know when this happens? I always find out by accident, and when I tell anyone "the clocks have gone back/forward you know" no one ever says "oh really?" They're all in the know already and I WANT TO KNOW HOW.
The paperback's title has been settled on, it's going to be THE FORTUNES OF GRACE HAMMER. Which I like a lot. And it's getting another new cover. Here's hoping for more (good) reviews over here. The hardback was rather overlooked this side of the pond. Fingers crossed..
Ok. I'm going back to work. Still editing book 2. It's going really well though. Happy Sunday xxxxxxxx

Well the Book Club Boutique was a blast. It went down so well that somehow (through no fault of my own, obviously) I ended up in a basement dive bar known as Gerry's celebrating and rubbed Tuesday out altogether. So that's my going out done with for another couple of months.
Today I am back on top of things and pondering yet another title change for GRACE HAMMER - which started life as HAMMER, in the UK. And now it is to come out in paperback here and Vintage would like to re-title it again, obviously to attract more people to buy it. They want a title that gives you more of a clue about what's inside. Who knew publishing was such a complicated business?? They've suggested THE ADVENTURES OF GRACE HAMMER but I don't know..
Any suggestions out there from any of you who've read it? I'd be so grateful for a good idea.
Happy Thursday everyone. Bloody hell another week nearly over. Aren't our lives just rushing by xx

Happy Friday Goodreaders. And thank you to Steve Fable (great name) who gave me my first 5 star rating! I am so chuffed he enjoyed it that much.
Love Fridays - I'm looking forward to lying in tomorrow (yay) and to movie night in with daughter (first ZATHURA, her choice, then AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, mine.) And take away. She wants pizza. Why do kids love pizza? I mean it's ok but.. when you can choose anything? I'm hoping to sway her. I vote curry.
Sorry. Clearly I have nothing much of interest to say today. The reason I am blogging at all is to let any Londoners who fancy an outing on Monday evening know that I will be reading from HAMMER this Monday the 12th at the BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE - which happens every Monday from 7ish at Dick's bar 23 Romilly St, Soho (LONDON). It's a blast and they have gooood cocktails. Anyway, come on down. You can check out their page on F*&%book if you want to know more.
Have a great weekend Goodreaders! Pip pip XXXXXXXX Sara

It's dark when we (me and daughter) are getting up now. (In London.) Very difficult for the first ten minutes but strangely cosy after that, with lights, and heat on. But we are heading into long deep winter and it's a bit depressing. And my 44th birthday is looming which is also a bit depressing. Skin going soft, waking up in night to pee, I know I'm not old yet but I can see it coming over the hill. Never mind, I thought, I write books now, I don't have to be pretty, I can be intellectual. Why last night I started reading THE MASTER AND MARGARITA and what could be more intellectual than that. So it's fine. Unless I go senile. Then I really will be stuffed.

Hello Monday. It's nice to start all over again after a bit of a crap weekend. And the only thing in my diary for the whole week is a meet-your-kid's-new-teacher thing Wednesday evening which means I have the WHOLE week to write! And read. So I shall be a hermit mostly, say no to everything and only answer the telephone if it's my children calling or if I fancy picking it up and shouting GO AWAY for something diverting to do in my tea break.
I'm halfway through Henry James' TURN OF THE SCREW. It is creepy. I had to put it down last night (I was in the house on my own) and read a few pages of THE BON MARCHE (a very dry book about the evolution of the dept store) just to put the spooks to rest before turning the light out. (I am so suggestible. Pathetically so.) But it is irritating me as well. So many double negatives and unnecessary constructions. I have to keep going back over sentences just to get the sense of them, and not like with Dickens, where you are rewarded with something insightful or funny, but just to understand what James means. I'm resisting the urge to scan and find out what happens because I don't want to lose any of the sinister atmosphere which is building up. Have to say though, I'm glad it's a short book. Anyone else read him? What do you reckon? Shoot me down in flames if you love him.

Cool! I have followers and friends! Thank you.
This morning I finished Great Expectations and I am starting the day with the lovely warm feeling that everything has turned out for the best and all the loose ends are tied up, which satisfies my slightly OCD tendencies. I know that's a problem with Dickens for some people but not for me. I love him. And I enjoyed GE, which I think is the wierdest book of his that I've read. It doesn't get darker than Miss Havisham. And that cake. Ugh. Anyway, hope you all have a marvellous day. I'm going back to work on the edit of my new book now. Still no title! XXXXXXXX