A discovery -- Mistress Martha and bipolar condition

One of the most satisfying things about being a writer of fiction is the emotional bond that is developed between writer and reader. Or maybe I should say "SOME writers and SOME readers." Anyway, if you are a writer who takes such things seriously, of course you want to elicit a strong emotional response in the hearts of those who are rooting for your hero or heroine and following his/her adventures in minute detail. They have paid good money for the book (or some of them have!) and they want to be INVOLVED.

So as a writer, you finish the text, get the finished book out there into the marketplace, and await developments. With a bit of luck, you get reviews in the newspapers and magazines, other reviews on the Amazon and Goodreads web sites, letters and phone calls. Most of the reviews are of course good, because the reviewing process is a cockeyed one, in which people who hate the book they are reading tend not to finish it and probably will not be bothered to write a review. That having been said, of course a writer gets a boost every time an enthusiastic review appears in print or in social media.  Some writers are so desperate for approval that they bribe their friends to post reviews on Amazon.  And the most satisfying reviews are those in which there is a strong emotional response.

The most moving responses to the Angel Mountain books have been from women who have themselves experienced some of the situations in which Martha finds herself -- dealing with a traumatised husband, the death of a child, recovering from rape, the loss of a husband, or a miscarriage. The most moving tribute I have ever had as an author was from a lady who had herself experienced a miscarriage and who turned up to one of my talks in order to thank me for my description of what happened to Martha and how she recovered from it. She was amazed that a male author had written the text, and said it had given her a sort of catharsis which enabled her to move on with her life. To develop that sort of bond with somebody you have never met before is both humbling and richly rewarding.

But then there is the matter of Martha's character.  She is who she is, and I did not have to "invent" her because of the strange manner in which I was "given" her story.  During the writing of the eight novels about her life, while keeping true to the narrative that was already inside my head, I wrote about her behaviour and her responses to situations as accurately and as honestly as I could.  Whenever I tried to make her do something out of character, she gave me a kick and said "I would not have done this at all" or "There is no way I would have reacted like that."   Somehow, out of all this turmoil, came a fully formed and rather eccentric heroine:

https://brian-angelmountain.blogspot.com/2012/03/about-mistress-martha.html

http://brian-angelmountain.blogspot.com/2016/11/mistress-marthas-gift.html

Martha is undoubtedly a very strong character, with a multitude of virtues and vices.    But since completing the books I have been asking myself "Why these violent mood swings?"  "Why the episodes of black depression?"  "Why does Martha rush about like a whirling dervish at times, getting involved in things she should really stay well clear of?"  "Why does she become so obsessed with her projects and her plans that she fails to see what the effects are on those whom she loves?"  "Why does she take such pleasure in conflict that she appears to others to be vindictive and vengeful?"  Over and again she has to be ticked off by Bessie and Grandma Jane for her insensitive behaviour.  Over and again she has to be healed by Joseph Harries or rescued by her angels..........

It's rather intriguing that when I was asked, after the publication of "On Angel Mountain", what Martha looked like, I always replied "Catherine Zeta Jones" -- ravishingly beautiful, with black hair, brown eyes and a voice rather like that which I heard in my strange delirium back in 1999.  Twenty years ago, if a film of the book had been made by Hollywood, Catherine would have been exactly right for the role of Martha Morgan.  Too late now, maybe......... but then I discovered that Catherine suffers from bipolar disorder, and is, to her great credit, perfectly open about it.

https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/blog/2016/06/14/mhm-catherine-zeta-jones-bipolar/

Suddenly, this explained a great deal about my precious heroine -- her erratic behaviour, her episodes of frenzied activity involving all sorts of collateral damage, and the confrontations with her black dog from which, on a couple of occasions, she barely escapes with her life.

So Martha, from the very beginning, and without me knowing about it, suffered from bipolar condition (let's call it "condition" because the word "disorder" triggers off all sorts of negative responses).   And that explains comments like these:

"I found myself getting very cross with Martha and some of her decisions. I also became very attached to the characters. This book will get under your skin….”

"Tears rolled down my face as the life of Martha Morgan came to an end and I felt a real sense of loss. All of the books have been amazing, enthralling, educational and inspirational. I congratulate you on such an achievement.”

"I had a calling of the mountain and by chance fell upon your books. They have along with Martha Morgan saved me in many ways and made me realise I am completely normal. Amazing work -- thank you from the bottom of my heart …."

I find that last comment incredibly moving.    I'm still trying to work out where this takes us...... but it may also lead us to examine the supernatural components of the story which makes it very different, for example, from Poldark, or Pride and Prejudice, or Downton Abbey, or Wuthering Heights.  Do we move from rational drama into the realm of the irrational?   There are the ravens -- are they real, or supernatural, of just hallucinations associated with bipolar "events"?  The battles in the sky -- real, or imagined?  The premonitions experienced by Martha, which lead to her being accused of witchcraft -- what do we make of them?  The symbolism of the angels?  The beliefs associated with Joseph Harries and his contacts with demons and the spirit world?

It is a feature of bipolar condition -- in some individuals -- that hallucinations are experienced and that voices are heard.

My dear Martha, perhaps I understand you a little better today than I did yesterday.

Audiobook news coming soon........

News coming soon on the audiobook versions of my novels.  Before that, we look forward to welcoming Matt Addis to the PENfro Book Festival this year, on 13th October at Rhosygilwen.  He will talk about the mysteries of audiobooks -- how they are recorded and published.  He is one of the best in the business -- listen to a snippet from Alexander Cordell's "Hosts of Rebecca" here........

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Hosts-of-Rebecca-Audiobook/B0100QQKUW?qid=1569530766&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=V184DNPZ730EXSXTWP1W&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1

Carningli video

Gwasg Gomer to close publishing arm

I was sad to read this, since Gomer has printed several of my titles in the past, and I have worked with their publishing arm as well.  They were always very courteous and efficient.......

However, I am not entirely surprised. The Welsh publishing model is based almost entirely on subsidies paid out by the Welsh Books Council, and I have questioned on many occasions the strategy of publishing large numbers of Welsh titles that hardly anybody wants and hardly anybody reads. I don't have the sales figures for Gomer titles over the past few years -- they are never released -- but I imagine that many of their titles will not have sold more than 200 copies, with the occasional title doing well (rugby players and referees are always popular.....). And I have repeatedly made the point that publishers like Gomer have not actually needed to work very hard on their marketing either, since publishing costs are generally covered by grant aid. In that scenario, you might as well just publish a book, collect the subsidies, then then move on to the next one. Throughout Wales, hundreds of titles have been published over the past few years which would never have seen the light of day if publishing had been strictly commercial -- governed (as in England) by the laws of supply and demand.

Anyway, I wish Gomer well -- I hope they flourish as a printers, but even there they are operating in a very competitive world.

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WELSH PUBLISHER GWASG GOMER TO CLOSE AFTER 127 YEARS


Welsh publisher Gwasg Gomer is to close its publishing arm after 127 years in business, it was announced today.

Gomer Press is a printing and publishing company based in Llandysul, west Wales. The company was first established in 1892 and is owned by the same family to this day. Jonathan Lewis, the great grandson of the company’s founder, is the current managing director. Until today Gomer Press described itself as being both a thriving printing company and publishing house and was the oldest in Wales.

Every year, they published over 36 titles, specializing in books which have a distinctive Welsh identity.

In a statement issued by the company, they said:

"Gomer, the printer and publisher, having considered the strategic direction of the company has decided to wind down its publishing department to concentrate on its printing division thus ensuring the future of its 55 employees. In the meantime, Gomer will continue working with authors and the Books Council of Walesto publish titles already scheduled, as well as continuing as a publisher for the 3,500 titles currently in print, ensuring royalties continue to be paid to authors, and the popular books can be printed as and when required."

Gomer Press is a printing and publishing company based in Llandysul, west Wales. The company was first established in 1892 and is owned by the same family to this day. Jonathan Lewis, the great grandson of the company’s founder, is the current managing director. Until today Gomer Press described itself as being both a thriving printing company and publishing house and was the oldest in Wales.

Every year, they published over 36 titles, specializing in books which have a distinctive Welsh identity.

Coming soon -- the whole saga as audiobooks

Good news from Calibre Audio Books -- the registered charity which produces and loans out audiobook versions of books to people with impaired vision or other reading difficulties.  As reported earlier, "On Angel Mountain" is now available in audiobook format:

https://www.calibre.org.uk/library.aspx?item=13225

Following discussions about practicalities it turns out that the readers of the audiobooks actually prefer to work off paperback versions of the books which they can mark with highlights, comments etc to assist in the reading process -- and it appears that the sound of pages being turned is so small that it makes no difference to the quality of recordings.

So copies of the other seven books in the series are winging their way to Calibre HQ, and the recording process will start quite soon.  Calibre depends upon volunteer readers, so although the quality will be less "professional" than readings done by full-time actors and actresses, the books do at least become available to a vulnerable readership made up of people who really do appreciate them.   It's good to be able to do something for people who have a tough time of it.......

There is no money for me as a result of this arrangement with Calibre, but if blind listeners enjoy the books when they are added to the Calibre catalogue, they will say so -- and the word will spread.

And as reported earlier, we are also talking to a fully commercial audiobook company with a view to commercial versions which will be available in the retail marketplace and also through libraries.

House of Angels -- coming next in the recording studio.....

On Angel Mountain — now available from Calibre audiobooks

Good news — Calibre, the organisation that produces audiobooks for those who have impaired vision, has recorded and issued a new audiobook version of ”On Angel Mountain”.  They read it, liked it, and recorded it — 13 hrs and 30 mins of listening.  It’s available (for members only) in various formats — downloadable from the web, on a USB memory stick, or on an MP3 CD.  Full details here:

https://www.calibre.org.uk/library.aspx?item=13225

Apparently the feedback from listeners thus far has been good, and I have now given Calibre permission to record the other 7 books in the series.

There are no payments or royalties involved here — Calibre is a charity, and all of the books on their list are recorded free, to bring pleasure to those who have sight impairment or other medical conditions that make reading difficult or impossible.

There are not many Welsh books on the Calibre list, and I hope ”On Angel Mountain” will go some way towards meeting a need.  Anyway, the deal helps to spread the word about Mistress Morgan and the saga, and will bring a little more pleasure into the lives of many people who have a tough time......

North Pembrokeshire -- insufficiently authentic?

It's interesting to see this piece about John Seymour and the "self-sufficiency idealists" who flocked to Wales -- and to north Pembs in particular -- in the 1960s and 1970s.  So was there an authentic "peasant society" in north Pembs at the time?  No way -- a part of it might have been "authentic" to an extent that satisfied John and Sally when they first came here.  But as they soon discovered, the community in this area is and was just as complex and multi-layered as any community anywhere.  And the idea that John went off to Ireland after a while because Wales had become "insufficiently authentic" is pretty cockeyed too.  As in all cases where somebody moves out of one place and into another, rather complex push and pull factors were at play........

Land of song or savages? Why the English get Wales so wrong

For those who cross the border dreaming of a mythic retreat of crags and castles, reality can bite hard

 Mike Parker
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/01/why-english-get-wales-so-wrong?

Extract: Over the past half century, the trickle of English idealists escaping to Wales has become a torrent. Godfather of them all was John Seymour, author of bestsellers The Fat of the Land and The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency, who bought a farm in Pembrokeshire in 1964: “I was back in a peasant society where people still brewed beer and killed pigs and we were no longer freaks,” he wrote. In the late 1980s, he too flounced out of Wales, declaring that it was by then “insufficiently authentic”, whatever that meant, and resettling in Ireland. Other green gurus have since come and gone, often hurling disappointed brickbats as they depart.