Wordy Wednesday with Anna Vaught

Good Morning Wordy Wednesday fans. I've been managing to find you an author a week since May and this week is no exception for here, for your delectation and delight is Anna Vaught, author of Killing Hapless Ally.

Killing Hapless Ally is a tale of an individual grappling for sanity and identity; a black comedy in which we discover how Alison, its curious protagonist, conceived in childhood an alter ego called ‘Hapless Ally’ in order to present a different, more palatable version of herself to her family and to the world beyond. Ominously, the alter ego began to develop autonomy. You learn how Alison had to deal with that: she had a lot of help from a varied catalogue of imaginary friends! The book is about serious matters: fear, confusion, dark days of depression and breakdowns. It carries with it a timely message to anyone poleaxed by depression and associated problems – or any reader interested in the windings of such things. You can, like Alison, survive and prevail. Ah, but how would you do it? If you had to – to survive – would you kill for it? Now that is an interesting question.

And so I sat Anna on the metaphorical interview chair, handed her a metaphorical cup of tea, and began the interview.

When did you start writing?
I'd self published a kitchen diary and a collection of short stories a few years ago and I've also done freelance journalism, been a blogger and guest blogger. As for my novel, well I started writing that in June 2014 and by May the following year it had found a publisher, the wonderful indie, Patrician Press. I'm also published in 'The Emma Press Anthology of the Sea' next year and I'm working on various things now: a YA, the next novel, a poetry pamphlet and a chapter book. (I know that sounds a bit mad.)

3 things (not including paper, computer, pens) would you like to facilitate a good days writing?
Big mug of tea.
Ideally, the kids need to be out BUT in fact I often wear earplugs!
Self-belief - can I have that? You know - ditching that little voice saying, 'You - YOU write a book - evil laugh...'

Do you write to a schedule, eg every day or three times a week, set times, etc or do you write as and when the mood strikes?
Well, I've got three young boys, I run a business...it's when I can!

Is writing your main source of income, I read lots of articles saying writers make no money, and my readers asked this question a lot! Can you survive on book writing alone? if not, what else do you do?

The general maxim is that you need to write ten books to make it your main income, I gather! Some do it on fewer books, I know, but very few people do it without the day job. I'm a secondary English teacher, but generally I'm running my own business teaching students in small groups or one to one. It is hectic.

What are your favourite biscuits?
Jaffa cakes. (we have been down this controversial road before...)

Tea or Coffee?
Coffee first thing; tea at all other times.

Where do you do most of your writing?
At the kitchen table or in my little office. On occasion I've hidden in the shed. And it's not even a posh shed. (it seems many writers favour a shed, I know Joanne Harris has one, it is a most adventurous shed too)

Do you use social media (facebook, twitter, instagram etc) to engage with your audience, do you think it helps sales and do you find it fun or a chore?
I use twitter and I love it. I think using social media is essential. Right now, I'm building my profile. I feel a bit embarrassed; a bit exposed. But it has to be done. If I don't believe in my book and get it out there, why should others? I know from other writers - agented or unagented - that you have to put yourself out there and, yes, social media is a key part of that. Twitter's the best for engagement.

If you could genetically cross an animal with a fruit or vegetable what would you choose and why? I'm currently keen on a Squirrel Leek - purely so I could shout 'oh no, a squirrel leek!' if I saw one ..
Ooh, bit unexpected. How about a hedgehog with a rosy apple? Not very succinct. But we could call it a hedgeapple and it would be pinky-red, spiky, but very wholesome and appealing. (cute! I like this plan)

If money was no object what would you buy your favourite person for Christmas?
I would have a shepherd's hut craned into our garden and furnish it with bookshelves, rugs, a woodburner and a Roberts radio. That would be for my husband.(Lovely - when you become rich please get me one too!)

Huge thanks for answering my often off the wall questions. Good luck with you future projects. Killing Hapless Ally is out in February.

Luck

Can you be lucky?

Today I was thinking about luck and randomly asked twitter what they thought about luck. Is there such a thing? Can you be lucky? Or unlucky? Do you ‘make your own luck’? is luck not a thing at all…

Looking at some timelines on twitter was what made me ponder in the first place, some people seemed to have a timeline full of woe and calamity, illness, lost jobs, broken appliances, sick children, lack of sleep, lack of money, depression, - Wow! I thought, they are unlucky people!

But others had timelines of joy and happiness, kids passing exams, kids saying funny things, bargains bought at boot sales, fivers found in pockets, great jobs, lovely husbands, new pregnancies and I thought – Wow! They are lucky people!

But looking further into some timelines it became obvious that actually, the people were the same. The number of illnesses, missed buses, found money, unexpected phone calls, visiting in laws and the like were often very similar but, and this is the crucial bit, the way they were looked at and spoken about varied a huge amount!

I follow people who have cancer that consider they are 'lucky' people, and wealthy people that think they are unlucky'.

While I’m sure I could do a whole PhD on twitter and optimists and pessimists and luck, a very cursory glance leads me to believe what many of my followers also tweeted in answer to the ‘Can you be lucky?’, that while things happen, the way you approach them can determine if you ‘feel’ lucky or unlucky as a result.

So ask yourself, do you feel lucky?

Too angry and upset to type much

This story about how a women would not be able to look after her own baby made me so sad and so angry I don't even know where to begin. (social workers can now predict the future based on no evidence at all it seems?)

but I had hoped that when the baby was born all would be well, she'd be given support and the family would prove doubters wrong. Seems I'm too optimistic, she didn't even have a chance, due to MILD learning difficulties Kerry Robertson has had her baby taken away at a few days old (when she was trying to breastfeed exclusively as is recommended by WHO) and now can only see him every other day.

You can read more for yourself here. But if you are a parent (or even a teeny bit caring) I suggest you have tissues to hand and maybe a stress ball or punchbag!

Even if this does get sorted out and baby Ben is returned to his parents, he has missed out on vital feeding days, and his family have been traumatised and will be affected for life. I am ashamed, ashamed that this can happen in a country that claims to care about people. I am praying for her and her family because right now I don't know how else to help. (suggestions welcomed)

The couple have been allowed to see their son for two hours every other day.

Miss Robertson said: ‘Holding him made me upset all over again. I’ve told the social workers I don’t want him to have bottled milk or a dummy. I feel breastfeeding is so important and at least then he is still having some of me.’

If this had happened abroad say in India we'd all be saying, "oh but that's because they are not like us, not caring, not a state with money to help" etc etc

and oddly India does indeed seem different to us just look here

“Initially, we were concerned about the way the mother would react. But surprisingly, she is taking good care of her child. She has become very active, lively, mature and cheerful. Earlier, she used to be a depressed and quiet person,” Ratnam said. “Also, she very well realises the fact that Pari is her child. The name Pari was suggested by her only. She is very attached to her.”

A great debate on the rights of the FATHER in this case here