What have we done so far and what’s still to come?
March saw my memoir – it is NOT an easy read, but call it a pretty one! I will offer links direct to publishers if you’d like to get any of these:
March also saw the translation into Italian of my 2020 novel, Saving Lucia – Bang Bang Mussolini –
Bang Bang Mussolini
Just out, The Zebra and Lord Jones, a new novel of magical realism. As I write, we are getting ready for the release of The Alchemy, my first teaching book, which comes with its own platform, and then in November, the anthology of winning entries from the inaugural Curae prize, which I made specifically for writer and would-be writer-cares. For All three of the following books, head over to Renard Press. https://renardpress.com/https://
The book above is the result of the Curae prize for writer-carers which I launched in 2022. It had such wonderful support from across industry. If you can, come to our launch night? It’s free but you have to book.
https://www.outsavvy.com/event/16910/the-curae-online-launch-evening
In just over a week, I start a PhD by Published Works at York St John University. It is on magical realism, the imagination and trauma, and foregrounds my own These Envoys of Beauty and Saving Lucia, together with briefer focus on five other books, alongside contemporary magical realism fiction and literature on trauma across various disciplines.
I can tell you a little about my July 2024 book, To Melt the Stars, which is a collection all about love. You can read about that here! https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/broken-sleep-books-snaps-up-vital-essay-collection-from-vaught
What else? I had a strong nonfiction proposal put together, Lipstick. A Cultural and Emotional History and, in all honesty, following agent and publisher feedback, it is not going to be saleable as a book. I am not a journalist, I do not work in fashion and beauty and I am not a cultural historian. Nonfiction is a particularly hard sell at the moment, so it’s just no go. I cannot top and tail it with memoir and scholarship because I do not have a relevant platform. However…I like to think whether I can reuse and repurpose so the plan is to publish it as a monograph instead! A long essay. I am delighted to tell you that I do have an offer of publication for early 2025. News as and when I can.
I am in the process of writing a new novel, All the Days I did not Live, having put down a few other things, and as I write, I am going to be head down on that for a week. I also made the decision to seek to change literary agency – this happens a lot, if you were wondering – so I am in discussions about that at the moment. Finally, I am away from social media for a whole year: time and space. To breathe. So much has happened in the past few years in work, and books and in my personal life – it feels good so far.
More news as it happens and, this week, I am will be resurrecting my Substack newsletter. About time!
Love and books,
Anna
xxx
Anna Vaught Writes - Dr Anna Vaught: teacher, mentor, author, campaigner 