|
Post by Nic on Nov 25, 2004 19:43:50 GMT
I'll be doing some ironing today but only because there are things in there that I need to take with me. I've just done some washing so there is more to add to the pile.
|
|
|
Post by catherine daly on Nov 25, 2004 19:46:16 GMT
Heeeyyyyy!! Lisa!! Welcome!
|
|
|
Post by Leah on Nov 25, 2004 19:46:21 GMT
And another thing that really bothered me was each mail (even if it was 3 words long) had a title to it written in the subject caption - so for example on one single page of the book you might have 4 short e-mails all written between Rosie and Alex within the space of 4 minutes and each one had a new title. I don't know about ye but if I'm online with someone, there's normally only one title we use back and forth - again totally unrealistic.
Rosie also goes onto a website for divorced people like Lonely Lady, Unsure One etc and I just had to skip down the whole chapter because it was some of the worst writing I ever read - I couldn't bare it anymore!
Another mail that Alex sent to Rosie consisted only of the word HA which he wrote about 50 times. And no, it was not when they were 6 year olds in school, but well into their 30's. I ask you.
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 19:46:28 GMT
A mothers work is never done
|
|
|
Post by lisa on Nov 25, 2004 19:47:49 GMT
oh god im so sorry! im here now! what a day! i literally had to just dump stephen and the baby outside our apartment and try find an internet cafe, the first two shut at 9pm so i couldnt go there, then i got pulled by a bloody copp :-/er for driving like a mad woman up the bus lane!!
im so sorry girls! im so out of breath. phewwwwww... ok whats being happening?? what have i missed??
|
|
|
Post by Leah on Nov 25, 2004 19:48:47 GMT
I'm having problems seeing if my mails are being read - I'm giving you my thoughts on the book in segments - have ye got them yet?
|
|
|
Post by Nic on Nov 25, 2004 19:50:08 GMT
Welcome Judi glad you could make it. I haven't read the book either and don't think I'll bother with what Leah has been saying.
|
|
|
Post by catherine daly on Nov 25, 2004 19:50:09 GMT
I'm having problems seeing if my mails are being read - I'm giving you my thoughts on the book in segments - have ye got them yet? Seems to be working fine Leah!!- Keep up the good work!!
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 19:50:26 GMT
Leah you'redoing a great job on telling the story, Hey Lisa glad you got here ;D
|
|
|
Post by Judi Curtin on Nov 25, 2004 19:53:39 GMT
I once tried to write a book in the form of e-mails. I thought it would be dead easy. In fact it was incredibly difficult, and I abandoned it after a few pages. (Another unfinished novel for my collection).
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 19:54:47 GMT
It might make a good short story someday,Judi?
|
|
|
Post by lisa on Nov 25, 2004 19:55:03 GMT
god, everyones looking at me here, i must look like( defenetly feel ike it!) I've just run the marathon!
quite funny though now I think of it, the Garda was so NOT impressed when i was telling him about my Book Club- i was saying But im the Moderater! I think he was quite intriged though how it all worked! fair play to him he didnt book me or give me a ticket anyway!
Right, sorry again about that girls, really was unavoidable, wont happen again, promise.
Now, the book, well what did the rest of you think? How many of us actually read it?
|
|
|
Post by Leah on Nov 25, 2004 19:55:35 GMT
Thanks - well there was one good character I liked in the book - she was Rosie's friend called Ruby - her mails were funny - and she was forever telling Rosie to cop on to herself and admit her feelings for Alex. She seemed to be a bit of an eccentric - off ballroom dancing with her teenage son for example. Alot more interesting than Rosie
|
|
|
Post by Nic on Nov 25, 2004 19:56:54 GMT
Do you have many unfinished novels? When your writing a book do you just concentrate solely on it or do you get ideas for your next book and jot those as you're going?
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 19:57:15 GMT
So far lisa only you and Leah seem to have read it
|
|
|
Post by lisa on Nov 25, 2004 19:59:24 GMT
is everyone still here?
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 20:00:21 GMT
Where else would we be
|
|
|
Post by catherine daly on Nov 25, 2004 20:00:22 GMT
I once tried to write a book in the form of e-mails. PArt of Marian Keyes lates, the other side of the story was written in e-mail form, but I think the difference was that it was only part so you get all the other background. I read a book by Blanche Howard and Carole Shields - the Celibate Season-(I think- forgive me if I'me wrong) that was all in the form of letters between a husband and wife who are apart while she's at work. It's set in the late seventies, so it's a completely different era, and I have to say that worked brilliantly. I wonder if it's because with an e-mail you can expect an answer fairly fast but with old letters you really had to be sure that you said what you meant, because it would take ages for the other person to get the letter, and even longer to get the reply. So was the earlier part of the book, presumably written as letters rather than e-mails, any easier to read?
|
|
|
Post by Leah on Nov 25, 2004 20:00:46 GMT
Lisa babe! Welcome! Can't wait to hear what you think about the book, it seems like we're the only ones who read it!
My favourite part was the Epilogue!!! Not only did it finally mean the end, but this part was NOT written in e-mail form and I found she wrote it well - it was the first time I felt anything for both main characters.
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 20:04:55 GMT
I read a book a while ago, can't remember what it was called, but I couldn't bring myself to symathise with the main character as I felt there was no real depth to her. Maybe Leah feels something like that, you need more than e-mails, you need to be able to visualise the person writing. I haven't read the book I'm only guessing here
|
|
|
Post by Nic on Nov 25, 2004 20:05:22 GMT
So was the copper cute Lisa? Joan noticed you were back, what did you make for Kate's lunch?
|
|
|
Post by Leah on Nov 25, 2004 20:05:41 GMT
The earlier part Catherine was like I said written as notes passed between them during school, but when they reach 16 they're e-mailing which is totally weird because all those years ago - you couldn't even e-mail I don't think - could you?
|
|
|
Post by Nic on Nov 25, 2004 20:07:57 GMT
girls I'm going to have to go and give my darling a bottle and put her back to bed but will be straight back okay.
|
|
|
Post by lisa on Nov 25, 2004 20:07:59 GMT
Yeah, I totally agree with Leah. When I started reading it, I felt I was reading a book written for an eight year old, but then i began to get into it, and actually found a few bits funny, but then sorry, I thought it would NEVER bloody end!
It just went on way too long for me! I was just thinking to myself 'where they EVER going to get it together at all', was dragged out too much I thought, did you Leah?
I dont know what it is about cecilia and I aint very good at explaining myself either, but its like she jumps dramatically from written in an adult format to writing waqy too childlike and its too obvious and messes up the whole flow of the book, do you know what I mean?
I also prefer books that give you some sort of background to the characters and I didnt get this at all with any of the characters you know.
|
|
|
Post by Joan on Nov 25, 2004 20:08:23 GMT
Hi everyone, back again. Poor you, Lisa! Sounds like you had a terrible time, but I just burst out laughing when I read your tale of trying to get to a computer for the Book Club - sounds more entertaining than the book, Leah - thanks for your insight, I had a quick glance at her first one again, and I remember I thought it quite readable and okay, but I haven't reread it, which is always a sign that I wasn't that fussed about it.
Will just refresh and see what you thought about this one, Lisa.
|
|
|
Post by Leah on Nov 25, 2004 20:15:26 GMT
Rosie writes her mother a 6 page letter at some stage - I know it's part of the book - this letter form thing but C'mon! A 6 PAGE LETTER when she's only a phone call away???
|
|
|
Post by lisa on Nov 25, 2004 20:15:37 GMT
Catherine, I did find it easier and more enjoyable to read the letters in the earlier part of the book, but as Leah said they were still only kids then so the letters were more about discussing Big nose smelly breath casey (their teacher) in school than anything worthwhile.
I think the letters written from Rosies Mam to Rosie were probably the best at 'filling the reader in' and giving us a bit of background information.
I also found there were sections in the book were I actually flicked through (shock! Horror!, I NEVER do that really!) and skipped some cos it was just SO Boring! Did you find that Girls? For instance her friend Ruby, some of her 4 page emails were just total utter rubbish! And thats putting it nicely, like it was just like Ceilia was trying to fill up pages as she had run out of stuff to say.
anyone feel the same?
|
|
|
Post by claire on Nov 25, 2004 20:17:19 GMT
Maybe she was basing them on some of the e-mails she gets
|
|
|
Post by Joan on Nov 25, 2004 20:17:53 GMT
Yeah, that was my first thought, Leah, when you said they emailed over 40 years - it would have to be set in the future for them to have done that. Doesn't sound like this is a book that I could get into - maybe our local library will get it and I'll give it a go from there.
Kate had cheese rolls for lunch, nic - she obviously is on a health kick, cos she also took loads of fruit. This is very unusual - usually wants to take junk!
|
|
|
Post by Judi Curtin on Nov 25, 2004 20:17:59 GMT
Thanks, Claire. I'm afraid it would be a very short short story, though. Claire, yes, I'm afraid I have lots of unfinished novels - most only a few chapters long. What happens is, I send an idea to my editor and my agent, and by the time they get back to me, I've got distracted and thought of a few more stories. Sounds great except most of them are fairly pathetic, or else far too ambitious, or else not right for the 'market' I'm supposed to be aiming for. Tough life, eh? Anyway, sorry, book club moderators- I know this is a big red herring.
|
|