"How about if you could make a living doing the things you love?"
A Portfolio Life
  • Home
  • Working
  • Writing
  • Gambling

Farewell Trip - who are you rooting for?

11/2/2014

0 Comments

 
It's been fascinating reading reviews and listening to people's responses to Farewell Trip. It's not something I've ever been able to do before, to be both writer and part of the audience. And in particular it's been interesting as to how each individual has read the book.

A key part of reading stories is that most people take a protagonist as their hero or heroine, identify with them and follow the story through their eyes, taking their side. If they can't find anyone likeable they often can't find a way into the book, or film, or play, and so on.

I've had this conversation with Anne many times over the years. For I have little problem with everyone being dislikeable, and enjoy art that leans that way. A little distance, a little Brecht. As long as it doesn't kill emotion. But she needs someone to root for, to invest in.

Anyway, being at heart a love story, it seems many of the people who have read Farewell Trip have been living the book through Ruth's eyes. And a scant few have taken Trip's side (ironically, there aren't meant to be any sides, not as we wrote it anyway). I had a long conversation with a male friend who was determined to fight Trip's corner to the end (and of course I agreed wholeheartedly). I'd like to think this is all credit to the power of our writing, and that our two distinct voices have resonance. But it's more likely that, as readers, we take sides very early, and along sex lines. Either way, it is much like life...





0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Writing

     LuluCurrent state of play:


    1. Indifferent Voices
    Out now in paperback.

    Buy Here Amazon
    Or Here Lulu

    Picture

    2. One Dog and His Man. Out now in paperback.
    Buy here ​
    Picture
    3. Farewell Trip.
    Published by Carina UK.
    Buy here:
    Picture
    4.  Silly Verse for  Grown Ups
    Buy here:
    Picture
    Click here to buy it on Amazon

    Archives

    July 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Belly Pork
    Cancer
    Cats And Dogs
    England
    Farewell Trip
    Film And Tv
    Getting Published
    Indifferent Voices
    Julian Barnes
    Karin
    Kemberton
    London
    Lyrics
    Music
    Nimbyism
    One Dog And His Man
    Poetry
    Politics
    Red Wine
    Rejection
    Running
    Salad
    Shifnal
    Shropshire
    Silly Stuff
    Slugs
    Sport
    Vegetables
    Works In Progress
    Writing Novels
    Writing Novels

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly