Last week a box turned up at my front door. I picked it up and took it into my writing room and placed it on the desk. It’s a cardboard box, not large – it could contain two video tapes, if you can remember those. Since the box turned up I’ve been opening it on a daily basis, an hourly basis, sometimes every minute. I open the box, lift out the scrunched up balls of paper, which are there to offer protection, and lift out the small bundle of flyers. For a moment I stare at the package beneath, and there are times when I think that I should stare at it, let my eyes do the work, because it would be safer that way. But in the end I give in: I lift out the main part of the package and slide out what’s inside – three hard copes of Fall On Me.
The cover is simple in the classic sense, and the internal layout is similarly unfussy – the whole production has been based on maximum attraction to potential buyers and maximum readability for readers. At least that’s how I see it – it’s all been up to the wonderful people at Blemish Books.
How did I feel the first time I held a copy?
Enlivened. Elated. Ecstatic. I might even have welled.
I sent a text to He Who Loves Knowing About These Things: I’ve just received hard copies of my novella and they look FUCKING AWESOME! The reply: OMG! How excited are you??
In this day of e-readers and all that tiresome talk about the death of the novel, the end of the ‘professional writer’ (whatever that means), it’s just so good to hold in your hands a book that’s been made with so much care. There’s no smell – not yet – but there is this wonderful, magical sense of being able to hold a world in the palm of your hands. Between these covers are lives, and these lives are in a precarious situation, and they have a problem to solve. What’s more, these lives are slipping away from me, as in they no longer feel like my creation. Even writing ‘my creation’ feels absurd. Did I really create those characters and put them in that situation? It’s not a question of false modesty; I’m just incredulous.
It’s only been fifteen months since the first handwritten draft of Fall On Me came along in the little gatekeeper’s cottage that’s stuck onto the southside of Cataract Gorge, Launceston. In the world of publishing, so I’ve been lead to believe, that’s a short period of time to go from scribble to physical book, even a relatively humble book like this. However, to put that into perspective, it’s been six years since my last foray into publication, Remnants, a novel, and since then governments have been and gone, earthquakes and tsunamis have tried to ruin countries, and planet Earth has warmed up just that little bit more.
But that’s the past. This post is about the present and the future.
What’s on my desk – what’s beside me right now – is a little box of books.
Sometimes it feels like what’s beside me isn’t a box but a nest, and in the nest is a white pigeon, and sometimes I imagine carefully scooping up the pigeon and lifting it up into the air, and watch it swoop this way and that against the deep blue Goulburn sky. But then I tell myself to pull my head in. In a week and a half there will be a launch, eminent Australian singer, performer, writer, thinker and festival director Robyn Archer will do the honours. From that moment onwards, Lou Bard and his son Luke and a glorious young woman called Anna Denman will be sent off into the world. So if you happen to be in the Canberra neck of the woods, do come along and help celebrate.
The launch details:
5.30pm, Thursday 15 September
Electric Shadows Bookshop
Shop 2, 40 Mort Street, Braddon, ACT
If you’re doing your hair that night, you can pre-order your copy through your local bookshop, or by contacting Blemish Books direct.
In the meantime, between now and the launch, I’ll turn to the box on my desk, and I’ll open it, I’ll lift out the scrunched up balls of paper, and I’ll lift out the small bundle of flyers that’s dwindling now, because I’ve been handing them out. For a moment, perhaps for quite a few moments, I’ll yet again stare at the package beneath. But in the end I’ll give in: I’ll lift out the main part of the package and slide out what’s inside – a story.
7 comments
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September 4, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
TF
“In this day of e-readers and all that tiresome talk about the death of the novel, the end of the ‘professional writer’ (whatever that means), it’s just so good to hold in your hands a book that’s been made with so much care.”
So true, Nigel – and I can only imagine what it must feel like when the thing is actually yours.
Congratulations again – can’t wait to have a read.
P.S. The novel might be on its death bed, but nobody said anything about the novella…
September 4, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
Nigel Featherstone
Hi Tristan, thanks very much for your kind words. I do hope you enjoy the story.
PS I’m fairly sure the novel is actually in quite rude health.
September 4, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
Gabrielle Bryden
woohoooooooo!!!!! I am excited for you Nigel – nothing like the printed book 🙂 I really love that cover too. Enjoy your launch and the aftermath (here’s to the novella) – I’d pop down to Canberra but my learjet is being serviced that week;) – so I will have to make do with the book.
September 4, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
Nigel Featherstone
Hi Gabrielle, loving your excitement!!!! Do let me know what you think of the story.
September 20, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
Gabrielle Bryden
Well I got your novella yesterday and read it in one sitting – really enjoyed it (I must have, otherwise I never would have read it in the one day – haha) – really tight and well paced, lots of suspense to keep the pages turning, very sensitively written (which I would expect from you) and characters I could relate to and feel for, in a setting which had a suitably morose and forboding. atmosphere. Really loved the character Fergal (I used to dress like him – bwahahahaha) and Lou was adorable (though he seemed very old for a 38 year old – but he’s had a hard life 😉 – Luke was awesome. The REM soundtrack to the novella was also great. Congrats on a job well done. Hope the launch went well.
September 21, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
Nigel Featherstone
Hi Gabrielle, thanks so much for your wonderfully thoughtful response to ‘Fall On Me’. Very glad you liked it.
You’re officially the first reader to mention Fergal. He’s such a slippery character, not in a sleazy way obviously, but sometimes it’s hard to understand where he’s coming from. Not that I don’t like him – I like him a lot – I’m just so pleased that you connected with him. And I know what you mean about his dress-sense; I think I may have worn a few outfits like his as well.
And describing Luke as ‘awesome’, is, well, awesome – it’s a perfect way of describing him. Because he’s braver than me.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.
September 21, 2011 at 9:16+00:00Sep
Gabrielle Bryden
You’re welcome. Just found out that REM has decided to call it a day, after 30 years – Lou will be upset 😉