Writers' roll call?

Alaric · Post by **Alaric** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 9:53 am

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]Sure! Tell us what you're working on.[/quote]

Well, in that case ...

I've got two works in progress that I've actually started writing and have some idea of what direction they'll take. The first takes a French grenadier sergeant in Ney's corps to Russia in Napoleon's ill fated invasion. The second is about a British soldier-spy and later diplomat sent to South America during their wars of independence, where he'd have lots of fun with Bolivar, O'Higgins and San Martin. That one came to me a few weeks ago, and I started writing something and actually completed the first chapter. It's probably more Aubrey-Maturin in style than Sharpe though.

However, I've got no idea or plans for when they would be published (if they ever did). I'm only 21!

So it'll probably be a case of doing bits when I can as I'll be nice and busy next year doing my thesis on EU/NATO-Russian relations. Then another thesis after that if I do well enough on the first thesis to get my PHD, which should enable me to land a job in foreign affairs, where I want to head to. Ideally, though, I want to be an author but there's still plenty of years left for that.

Anita Davison · Post by **Anita Davison** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 10:03 am

[QUOTE=Margaret;7728]Anita, I didn't know about your Duking Days novels and have added them to the 17th Century page at http://www.HistoricalNovels.info.

Thanks so much Margaret, how lovely of you. I have been to the site and it's very impressive. I will post it to all my groups and add a link on my blog too if that's OK

Regards

Anita

Anita Davison · Post by **Anita Davison** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 10:09 am

Thanks so much Margaret, how lovely of you. I have been to http://www.HistoricalNovels.info and it's very impressive.

I will post it to all my groups and add a link on my blog too if that's OK

Regards

Anita

Volgadon · Post by **Volgadon** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 6:08 pm

[QUOTE=Alaric;7783]However, I've got no idea or plans for when they would be published (if they ever did). I'm only 21!QUOTE]

Oh, I don't know either, I'm only 24.

xiaotien · Post by **xiaotien** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 7:27 pm

[quote=""Rowan""]I used to be a writer, but not anymore. Of course when I did write, it wasn't historical fiction.[/quote]

that's too bad you stopped.
i stopped writing all through my
twenties. completely forgot about my
first love.

alaric and volgadon--don't let your age
stop you? if you want to be published, go ahead
and go for it! i know quite a few soon to be
published twenty-somethings. and, incredibly,
a soon to be published not yet 18 year old.
she has written many YA novels.

don't limit yourself when it comes to your
dreams. =)

Catherine Delors · Post by **Catherine Delors** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 7:57 pm

EC2 beats us all!

My first novel, Mistress of the Revolution, was published by Dutton/Penguin in 2008, and I am beginning to work on the paperback release (March 9, 2009.)

I just sent my editor the new version of my second novel, For The King, about a "terrorist" attack against Bonaparte in 1800 Paris.

And working on my 3rd novel a still untitled thriller about a serial killer in the 1760s French countryside. A cross (I hope) between The Hound of the Baskervilles and Red Dragon. Not easy to write...

And Cindy, I started elsewhere a China thread, which attracted NO replies. Any suggestions from you would be wonderful.

xiaotien · Post by **xiaotien** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 7:59 pm

catherine, congrats on your debut!
so exciting! and you're moving forward so
fast with your other novels. i will have to
gather courage and inspiration from you.

did you start a china thread on this forum?

there simply isn't as much interest in asia--tho
i think it's slowly changing in recent years?

the reason my book is different (which made
some agents balk) was that it was set in
a china-like kingdom and you don't see that
much in YA nor fantasy NOR historical fiction.

Catherine Delors · Post by **Catherine Delors** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 8:22 pm

Good for you, Cindy: you transcend traditional "genres." I have loved Chinese, and China-like settings since childhood. Generally along the lines of fantasy, ghost stories or fairy tales. I don't know Chinese literature well, but that seems to be a recurring theme, so your books must fit beautifully in that tradition.

I am leery of Chinese or Japanese HF written by Western authors (a la Memoirs of a Geisha: the author compounded the issue by being a man writing from a supposedly female perspective.)

I did love The Bonesetter's Daughter, though I thought the happy ending felt totally artificial. Amy Tan writes beautifully about mother-daughter relationships.

I started the China thread in the Country/Era section of this forum, about Van Gullik's Judge Dee mysteries. All right, Van Gulik was Dutch, but he had grown up and spent most of his life in Asia, and his wife was Chinese.

http://blog.catherinedelors.com/2008/09 ... gulik.aspx

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 10:06 pm

Alaric and Volgadon,

How old are you expecting to be when you seriously write for publication? Do you have an age in mind? I'm curious.

I sent my first off when I was 18. It got rejected, as did my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th. The rejects were standard procedure throughout my twenties. I was 31 before I finally wedged open an agent's door and I'd been writing full length novels for 16 years.

Volgadon · Post by **Volgadon** » Mon October 13th, 2008, 11:08 pm

Tommorow would be just fine for me. =)) Honestly, I'd be happy to be published, at whatever age.

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