Ever since I read Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, by the stupendous Nick Earls and the super-wonderful Rebecca Sparrow, I have been dying to cowrite a novel. And when I say "cowrite", I actually had very specific ideas about HOW I wanted to cowrite. I didn't want to cowrite in the same way Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl cowrote Beautiful Creatures (much as I loved that book). I wanted, specifically, to cowrite a book the way Nick and Rebecca did; the way Penni Russon and Kate Constable did with the glorious Dear Swoosie.
I wanted my own character. I wanted the other author to have their own character. I wanted a chapter each, back to back. I wanted a conversation between characters and authors. Oh! And I thought it might be fun if the book was (what I call), straight fantasy (i.e. wizards, dragons, faeries, but no vampires, werewolves or fallen angels).
Too much to ask?
Apparently not!
After all this time (Joel and Cat came out a whole thirteen years ago), I have finally received my wish. I have begun work on a tandem cowritten novel with a very, very, very super-dooper awesome fantasy writer.
AND I AM HAVING SUCH FUN!
It's like how going to see a fabulous movie is SO much better when you see it with a great friend. Youcan talk about it afterwards; dissect it; reminisce about favourite scenes and spunkiest actors.
I love my character - a princess forced into hiding amongst a troop of footsoldiers. I love my cowriter's (SQUEE! Love saying that) character just as much. I love that she (my cowriter) insists on manticores, and I am really keen for a bit of human-faery lovin'. I think it is going to an awesome book and great fun ta boot.
Writing is such a solitary profession. It is also (in my opinion) the most fun profession OF ALL TIME, but it is SO much more fun when you do it with a friend!
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13 comments:
Sounds like the very best fun ever!
Oh, it is! It is!
Wow! Love to hear more of your journey, Miss Excitable. (Hmmm... Chooks cackle when they're excited about laying an egg. Is that how you got your name? Excitable/cackling?)
I am very intrigued by your zany name, as you may have realised. But I think it suits you - in the nicest possible way. :)
Have to also say... Your animal pic is so cute. My boys were given stuffed toys from visiting UK family. Otter for one, badger for other. They look just like those pictured. Sure I've seen them cuddled up like that, too.
You are a tease. So interested to hear more...
Hi katswhiskers, I love my zany name, too! I wish it had a really zany story to go with it, but the sad truth is, when I started at the bookynook and took over the Ferrets, I decided I needed a Nom de Ferret, as "Kate" isn't a zany or exciting name at all. I had just been re-reading one of my favourite series, The Wost Witch, and that's the name of the kindly headmistress of the academy. The name just stuck in my head and, much as I tried to think of another name, I was already, irretrievably, Cackle :o)
Hi Miss Fussell, It kind of feels like when people are pregnant (not that I ever have been), and don't tell anyone until the third trimester. I want to be sure it's really happening because it seems so fantastic it mustn't be true!
I love Joel and Cat, adore Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow and am so excited that you get a chance to do your very own joint project! Can't wait to hear more details. What an exciting time for you :) And your enthusiasm is so contagious - thank you for sharing!
Co authoring sounds like fun fun fun!
Ooh, I have a guess. But i won't say here.
Sounds fun. Writing Swoosie was the most awesome fun ever, and Kate and I have an idea for another one...a timeslip fantasy.
Thanks, Penni! You are my inspiration!
and Gabrielle and Karen, it is easy to be enthusiastic when it's fun fun fun!
Just checking back in to see if you'd answere my Q - and you had. And you're nothing to do with a chook's cackle, at all! All this time I've been picturing you wrongly. (In case you were wondering about my chook puns...)
Now I know. And you can continue to cackle with glee. :D
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