A lush few moments with Colette: The Silver Stopper

Thank you so much for your wonderful post about my story, The Silver Stopper, Teresa!
I adore the word “lush”: it’s so voluptuous, sensual and opulent… (and makes me think of Nigella Lawson!)

This was posted on 3 September 2008 on Teresa’s blog:
A lush few moments with Colette: The Silver Stopper

Sarah Line Letellier is working on an historical novel that brings Anais Nin and Colette together in early 20th century Paris. I know, how cool is that?! She appears to be working on a movie script, as well, and the novel is not yet finished, but she’s adapted a short story from the novel Nights in Paris that you can get hold of through Fish Publishing.

This historical fiction short story begins early in Colette’s first marriage and visits her affair with Missy (Marquise de Belboeuf). Less a story than a vignette, the descriptions are vivid and the eroticism lush, if not detailed. This is not principly an erotic story, although the sensory intensity makes it feel so. Ms. Letellier has a way of filling-in a scene that reminds me of Anais Nin, but her keen human insights are all Colette:

“I was silent at the dinner party held to celebrate Willy’s homecoming. A nod or a sideways glance from my secretive, Egyptian eyes was all I dared give in answer to the most innocent of questions. The more curious people were about Monsieur Willy’s ravished wood nymph, the
more stubborn I became, strangled by a shyness that was not cowardice but a declaration.” (Letellier, The Silver Stopper)

At her blog, Ms. Letellier describes her interest in Anais Nin and Colette:
“The more I write about Anais and Colette, the more similar their personal issues are – and yet they are very distinct personalities – Anais created an opposite illusion, one of sophistication and exoticism…. They both had their faults, but to me the dramas and intrigues of their personal lives only make their writing all the more remarkable and fascinating.” (Inspiring music)

This is the kind of story I will reread many times, perhaps passages, perhaps the whole thing. Much as I do Nin’s works. Having read this single story, I feel like there’s an unread work of Anais Nin or Colette out there that has been newly discovered, and I can’t wait to read it.

Ms. Letellier published another short that I believe is adapted from the novel, The Slave of Bracelets, but that was unavailable online, published several years ago in a New Zealand
newspaper contest. Harlem River Blues is the Fish Anthology 2008 edition. I’ve not finished reading all the stories in it, but what I’ve read, I’ve enjoyed very much. Especially The Silver Stopper, which was runner-up in the Short Histories competition.

I ordered online through the Fish website. Since the price quoted is in euros and the shipping is from Ireland, I still don’t know how much I paid for the book with currency exchange and shipping, but I received it here in Iowa in a week!

read the original on Teresa’s blog:
http://teresawymore.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/a-lush-few-moments-with-colette-the-silver-stopper/

and buy the anthology The Silver Stopper is published in, Harlem River Blues, here: http://fishpublishing.com/

The Silver Stopper is real!

My copies of the anthology Harlem River Blues have arrived from Fish Publishing! There is my name and my story The Silver Stopper: in ink, in print, indelible, permanent, real!

All the copies are slightly damaged, but then they have travelled all the way from Ireland, and Fish have sent them to me free as a writer’s perk, which, considering the postage to New Zealand, was very generous of them.

It is bizarre seeing my writing in published form, rather than on a familiar sheet of printed A4 paper. I can suddenly be more objective about the story, and think: “Ooh yes, that’s a good bit”, and “My goodness, I have to stop using so many commas!”

I debated about keeping a copy at work: It’s there just in case anyone wants to borrow it. If there’s a fire at home, at least I’ll have a spare copy. But is it pretentious and vain to have the book on display in the office? It’s not really on display, just shelved on a bookcase — no-one will even notice it. That’s settled then: as long as I don’t draw attention to the book, having it at work is not pretentious and vain.

I’ve read the other stories in the anthology, and they are all wonderful, surprising and, of course, a fantastic read. I especially enjoyed the title story by Julia van Middlesworth, Schottishe by John Bolland, and White Crayons by Gordon Hopkins.

The Silver Stopper is published in Harlem River Blues, available through Fish Publishing at: http://fishpublishing.com/

The Silver Stopper published in Harlem River Blues

My short story about Colette, The Silver Stopper, is published and available for purchase! It’s in the wonderfully-named anthology “Harlem River Blues”. You can buy Harlem River Blues from Fish Publishing at www.fishpublishing.com — it’s a fantastic collection of award-winning stories, and a snip at only 15 euro!

I suggested to my Kiwi friends that they buy it online, since Fish are in Ireland and it’s a long way to go to pop into their bookshop — another one of my ever-subtle hints! Some people were disappointed not to be able to read the stories online, but that’s the point really — if you could read all the Harry Potters online, no one would buy the books. It would be a bit like working at your job for five years and then politely saying, “Oh no, it’s all right, you keep it,” when your boss offers to pay you for your five years’ work.

I haven’t received my gratis copies of the anthology yet, but Fish did get in touch with me to let me know that they’re on their way across the world. I’m so excited — I can’t wait to see a jiffy bag postmarked Co. Cork, Ireland, in the post-box. I go bounding to the post-box every morning as well as after work, like a slightly mad, enthusiastic puppy. It’s like expecting a parcel from Amazon, only much better. The anticipation is agonizing!

Alors, ça vient, le livre avec mon histoire, enfin, oui? J’ai tellement hâte de le voir, et le tenir, enfin, entre mes mains! On peut l’acheter chez Fish Publishing… c’est une collection formidable, bien sûr!

The art of accepting rejection graciously

Why is rejection so painful? Goodness knows I should be well versed it by now. With each competition I enter, I am so hopeful, so sure that this time I will win! I am getting closer — runner-up isn’t bad — but it’s never good enough. When it was the Sunday Star Times short story prize-giving (a big event with champagne and media, even lovely Helen C) and I won third prize, the runners-up crowded around me with congratulations. I was determined to keep smiling graciously even if it killed me, but all I wanted to do was burst into noisy, heart-broken sobs. One nice lady exclaimed, ‘Oh, you must be delighted!’ It took a super-human effort to stop myself from snorting, ‘Delighted? I’m devastated!’

There’s a scene in Fame (remember that ’80s programme?!) where the beautiful swan-like dancing teacher throws a girl out of her class for not having passion. ‘But I only want to dance in the third chorus line!’ the poor girl pleads. ‘That’s the problem,’ the teacher says, ‘just to get to the back of the stage, you have to want to be the star.’

Four rejections in one week — it was rather harsh, and I was a bit blue for that week. But never mind, it just makes me even more determined for next time. As Liza Minelli sings, so earnestly hopeful, in Cabaret, ‘Maybe this time I’ll be lucky, maybe this time I’ll win’. It’s all about the taking part — what utter nonsense. Don’t be so soft. It’s all about the winning.

Pourquoi ça fait si mal d’être rejetée? Je devrais être habituée. A chaque fois, je suis absolument certaine de gagner. Cette fois-çi, ça va marcher, ça ne peux pas rater! Quatre concours ratés en huit jours: aïe! Mais il faut toujours re-essayer: il faut gagner.

A script for Colette

Something wonderful and completely new is happening with The Silver Stopper, my Colette short story based on my novel Nights in Paris. The Silver Stopper may be made into a short film — which makes me almost hysterical with joy! My writing is visual and descriptive, so I can see the whole film in my mind, which may be useful for Toni, the director… or annoying! We plan to start writing the script this weekend. I’ve had a look at a script writing program: writing a script is hugely different to a novel or story, but I am full of naïve, idealistic energy at the moment, so I’m not (yet) daunted.

There are already some difficulties we’ll have to contend with, such as: how much of a historical film should we make it? It’s set circa 1907, and Wellington has some historical homes, but not many. Also, how erotic to make it? There’s nothing worse than bad erotica, whether you’re reading or watching it. We could have corsets, shifts and lots of ruffles and ribbons: vintage clothing can be more suggestive and erotic than plain, unadorned nudity. And what about the accents? Do we make our Kiwi actors speak their lines in fake French accents? Aïe aïe aïe, I have a feeling that this could turn très mal, so we need to be careful! Still, it’s a very exciting time, the world is filled with possibilties…

J’ai la possibilité de faire un film de mon histoire de Colette! Je vois déjà le film tout fini dans ma tête — bien sur, c’est un film sensuel, voluptueux et très beau.

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