Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Spunky Senior Author, Rosemary Morris, Loved Books Even as a Child in a Pushchair

My love of stories developed at a very early age. When I was a tiny child in my pushchair a passer by noticed I was holding an open book. “It’s amazing to see your little girl reading aloud,” she said to my mother, who promptly explained I had memorised the story.

My love of books grew. An early memory is of having my photo taken at the age of about three, when the photographer handed me a book to hold. Even now, I remember my indignation when he took it away at the end of the session.

Another clear memory is of sitting on my maternal grandfather’s knee while he read to me from Enid Blyton’s children’s magazine Sunny Stories.

When did I first begin to make up proper stories with a beginning, middle and an end? I am not sure. However, there was a point at which I found it difficult to distinguish between imagination and truth. Certainly I embroidered incidents or made up events when I attended nursery school.

I don’t know whether my imagination was a blessing or a curse. At primary school I soaked up English language and literature, history, geography and religious instruction. During mathematics, I retreated into my own world peopled by characters real and legendary from the past, and imaginary characters of my own creation. By the time I went to a girls’ grammar school I made no effort to come to grips with mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology, and I loathed gymnastics and hockey.

During my years at primary and secondary school, my appetite for fiction and poetry grew. I spent every spare minute reading. And, for example, Anne of Green Gables and later the heroines in Georgette Heyer’s novels seemed more real to me than my own humdrum life. Why wasn’t I born on beautiful Prince Edward’s island or in the privileged world of Regency ladies?

I can’t remember when I first wrote down my own stories, but have never forgotten a painful incident. I wanted to write something so I asked my mother for some paper. She said she didn’t have any. I begged for her Basildon Bond paper reserved for her letters. Mother refused to give me even a sheet or two. I can still recall my anger and frustration at being denied paper. Now, a new notebook represents a tale about to unfold. There is nothing comparable to penning the first few lines on pristine paper. In March I went on holiday to Devonshire. Inspired by the primroses in the hedgerows, the daffodils and golden gorse flowers, as well as the rolling countryside, the glorious beaches and seascapes, I bought a notebook and wrote the plot, theme and first lines of a new novel.

I married and had my first child not long after I left secondary school.  By the age of twenty-one, while living in Kenya, I had written my first historical novel, which was accepted by a famous publishing house. I received a contract and a generous advance. Unfortunately, I did not know that a firm date of publication should always be included in the contract. The publishing house was sold; the new commissioning editor did not like my novel, which was not published. Undeterred, I finished my second novel, which was accepted, but due to peculiar circumstances never published.

For years I did no more than jot down ideas until, after twenty-one years in Kenya and five years in France, I returned to England. Eventually, after each of our five children had left home, my late husband encouraged me to write. I immersed myself in books on How to Write, attended some courses on writing and bought a computer. After I wrote eight novels and countless short stories I was accepted by two literary agents, one for novels, the other for short stories, but neither of them placed my work.

I submitted each of my novels to other agents and publishers, some of whom were kind enough to praise them, although they rejected them. I joined online critique groups, and received constructive feedback about my work in return for critiquing other members’ submissions. Through one of these groups, I came into contact with Enspiren Press, an electronic and print on demand publisher. Enspiren Press accepted my novel Tangled Hearts. Delighted, I wrote a new novel. Fate was against me. Enspiren Press closed and I did not receive a penny of the royalties due to me.

Several years later, after innumerable rejections from more publishers and agents, undeterred, but with many misgivings, I submitted to MuseItUp Publishing an electronic publisher. Tangled Hearts, set in England in Queen Anne’s reign, 1702 – 1714, was accepted and republished as Tangled Love. Since then, MuseItUp has also accepted my novels, Sunday’s Child, to be published in June, and False Pretences, to be published in October, both of which are set in the Regency era.

I set my novels in a period of change. When Queen Anne came to the throne, her father James II was alive and living in France. Some of the peers refused to swear an oath of allegiance to her while her father lived, because they were bound to him, even if they did not like the man, his politics or his religion. What, I asked myself, would be the effect on Richelda, the daughter of a nobleman who refused to take the oath and followed James to France. In Tangled Love Richelda, suffers loss, hardship and danger before she can keep her promise to her father to regain their family’s estate.

In Sunday’s Child, prior to the Battle of Waterloo, Georgianne and Major Tarrant have suffered as a result of the Napoleonic Wars, and have to come to terms with their nightmares.

And in False Pretences, Annabelle yearns to discover who her parents are, yet nothing in her life is as it seems and the truth, when it is finally revealed, is extraordinary.

As for my new novel, Tangled Lives, also set in Queen Anne’s reign, Juliana refuses to believe her half-brother’s accusation that she and her sister, Henrietta, are bastards. On the way to London to consult her late father’s lawyer, she encounters Mister Seymour, who has recently returned from India.

Many people are unable to fulfil their lifelong dreams, so I am grateful to God for allowing me to fulfil my dream of becoming a published novelist.

If you visit my website you can read the prologue of Tangled Love, see the beautiful book cover and watch the book trailer. You can also read the first chapter of Sunday’s Child and see the gorgeous book cover.
Tangled Love set in England in 1706. The tale of two great estates and their owners.
Available from.MuseItUp Publishing, Amazon Kindle, Bookstrand - Mainstream, Sony-e-Reader, Kobo, Smashwords.
Sunday's Child June 2012
False Pretences October 2012
Please welcome Rosemary Morris to Spunky Senior Authors and Talents by Leaving a Comment.

27 comments:

  1. Welcome to Spunky Senor Authors and Talents, Rosemary. You sure beat me in the reading race. My earliest reading recollections are reading Humpty Dumpty magazine, as well David and Ann stories in grammar school.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com

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    1. Morgan,

      I always loved books and reading. Even now I can remember my hurt when a teacher didn't believe I had read Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbevilles at the age of 13.I did not understand everything in the novel but I did enjoy is and wept buckets when Tess was executed.

      I also remember taking out a book a day from the library in the school holidays and being accused by the librarian of not reading them all!

      Now I have a grandson who reads as voraciously as I did when I was a child,

      All the best,
      Rosemary

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  2. Hi, Rosemary! I, too, had the experience of "reading" from a book at the age of 3. The visiting relatives were quite impressed until Mother told them I'd made her read the books so many times, I'd memorized them! I still recall starting school and beginning to learn to read. I went home, lined up my dolls and my little sister and proceeded to share my knowledge of the miracle of reading. The dolls paid rapt attention. My little sister...not so much.

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    1. I think fiction writers must be born with an imagination. Let alone writing books, some people can't even put themselves in other people's shoes.

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  3. Wow! You've led an interesting life. I don't think I've ever read a book set in Queen Anne's reign so I'll be checking it out. Do you plan to write a story set in Kenya?

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    1. I enjoyed researching Queen Anne's reign so much that I've written another novel, Tangled Lives, set in it. Fingers crossed, my publisher MuseItUp publishing will accept it.

      So far, I haven't been inspired to write about Kenya. That's not to say I won't decide to in the future. I enjoy Karan von Blixen's Out of Africa and Elspeth Huxley's Flame Trees of Thika.

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  4. What a fabulous post. I love the cover art on both these books.

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    1. Cheryl,

      I'm nursing a rotten virus. Can hardly totter up and down the stairs so your e-mail really cheered me up.

      I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I always feel self-conscious when writing about myself.

      My artist and I worked hard on the book covers and we're really pleased with them.

      All the best,
      Rosemary

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  5. Wonderful interview Rosemary. Oh, your writing career almost mirrors mine. I was at Enspiren with you, but I also had an agent who was just ready to place one of my books when she unfortunately died. Had a medium sized English publisher who was going to give me a contract but they were gobbled up by a large publisher who didn't want my story.
    I won an unpublished manuscript award, prize being $800 and publication. Never received the $800, and publisher went out of businesss before my novel was published. I could go on for pages with all my near misses.

    Regards

    Margaret

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    1. Margaret

      Thank you for sharing your experiences. Sometimes I think I'm mad to have pursued my dream of being publishd because of the hours and hours involved in writing,but I'm glad I did,

      All the best,
      Rosemary

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  6. Wow! Talk about perseverance! I am impressed that you continued to submit work after such early disappointments.
    My earliest reading memory was in kindergarten, when we had a Dick and Jane poster with the word "See"
    My son, though, at age three had memorized portions of Eric Carle's book titled "The Very Quiet Cricket."

    I'm glad your husband encouraged you to continue, and am sure he is watching you progress now.

    Be well!

    http://terrysthoughtsandthreads.blogspot.com

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  7. Thank you for sharing your own and your son's reading memories.

    I compare my perserverance to the carrot in front of the donkey's nose! If I had not perservered I would never have known whether or not I could achieve my dream of being published.

    Yes, maybe my husband is watching my progress. He always told me that if I kept on writing, one day, all my novels would be published. I hope so. I've just finished revising my novel Tangled Lives, set in Queen Anne's reign. Fingers crossed, my publisher will accept it.

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  8. I am Woman Hear me Roar. I feel empowered just reading this. Way to go, Morgan.

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  9. Joylene,

    Are you e-mailing Morgan or commenting on Rosemary Morris's contribution to the blog?

    All the best,
    Rosemary Morris

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  10. Rosemary,

    I am very inspired by reading your story. I loved reading from an early age too, and graduated to the adult library as soon as I could - careful children were allowed to do so aged 10, and I took out 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. The very mild innuendo naturally went over my head at 10 but I loved the hero all the same.

    I am glad you have found publishing succes.

    Jennifer Pittam

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    1. Jennie,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      I forgot that I joined the adult library when I was about ten.

      Yes, Baroness Orczy was one of my favourite authors. Recently, I re-read The Scarlet Pimpernel.

      All the best,
      Rosemary

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  11. It's so lovely to see you at this stage, Rosemary, knowing a little of your journey to publication. Good interview, and I was one of those "early readers" too! Mind you, I think it was that which helped me to read properly, and I still have the book that i "read". All four of my children read early, and all, I'm glad to say, still read voraciously, as does my almost 6 year old grandson. All power to you, Rosemary.

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    1. Lesley,

      Thank you for mentioning you read this interview on Romna.

      Yes, it's ages since we met at Caerleon.

      My children and grandchildren enjoy reading, but Harry, who is now ten, was very disappointed when Tangled Love was previously published when he was seven. 'Grandma, has it got monsters? Has it got ghosts? Has it got aliens? Has it got dragons.' His response when I said No. 'Oh, dear, I think I should help you write your next book.'

      All the best,
      Rosemary

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  12. Really enjoyed hearing more about your journey to publication, Rosemary - well done for persevering. My tween book is with MuseItUp and I'm very happy with them. All best wishes with your next two books.

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    2. Rosemary,

      Glad you enjoyed reading about my road to publication. I'm another happy MuseItUp author,

      All the best,
      Rosemary Morris

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  13. Great interview, Rosemary. What a struggle you had. The world of publishing can be very cruel. I loved the fact you were such an early reader. We're all different. I was quite late, not really becoming fluent until I was at least 7. It's wonderful that your novels are now available to be bought and read. The latter is what we do it for, after all. Not the money.

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    1. Gilli,

      Your'e right, we want to share out novels with other and hope they will proved as much enjoyment as we receive from writing them,

      All the best,

      Rosemary

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  14. Gosh you had some knockdowns in the publishing industry, Rosemary, so many congrats on finally linking up with MuseItUp!! I wrote with pencil and paper when I was young and although I compose straight onto the laptop now, I have a thing for white paper and sharp pencils!! I think I should have worked in a stationers!

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    1. Barbara,

      Thank you for your congratulations. Yes, white paper and sharp pencils are great, so are little notebooks. I always wish my handwriting did them justice,

      All the best,
      Rosemary

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  15. How interesting your life has been, and I admire your perseverance after the publisher problems. Good luck with your books!

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  16. Liz,

    Thanks for commenting.

    One of the things that made me perservere were all the characters and stories which always jostled for space in my mind.

    For some years Justin, a handsome early 18th century gentleman has been asking me to take him shopping for luxuries at the Royal Exchange. Silk stockings and bejwelled shoe buckles are amongst his requirements. I think he might want to impress the love of his life, who spurned him, for being a country bumpkin,

    All the best,
    Rosemary

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