Multiple submissions, and beginning a new novel

I saw the wonderful Elise at a party on Saturday, who made me promise, in front of witnesses, that I would send my novel, A Prawn’s Heart is in its Head, to five publishers by Wednesday. Five? But I was only sending it to one publisher at a time! (At the pathetic rate of about one a year.) But yes, I concede, it does make more sense to send multiple submissions. I also got told off for sending the novel to only one publisher at a time by my friend Jessica. You are both right! I will do it, I promise!

“Henry and June” is the most fabulous film. I watched it recently as part of my research for the new story about Anaïs Nin I’m writing, which will be part of a new novel called “Nights in Paris”. So far, I have a first draft of a Patricia Highsmith story, the Anaïs story I’m writing now, and next will be a story about Colette.

I bought a postcard of Colette in drag about 13 years ago, when I spent a week in Paris with a lover (what a romantic and exciting time of life, when love was still so new and thrilling!) and I have always kept it near where I’m writing, for inspiration. Colette had such a fascinating life, and her books are marvellous: erotic, but in a clever, subtle way. I hope she would like what I’m writing.

Nicola the web goddess has fixed the site! The links on the top are now working, there will be extracts under ‘the novel’, and you can click on ‘contact me’ to send a comment. Fabulous! Thank you so much, Nicola beyond compare!