What does a tandoori lamb chop and a book have in common?

In an attempt to sell his latest novel, Meatspace, Nikesh Shukla decided to take things literally and send a lamb chop into space with a weather balloon, lots of helium and a Go-Pro camera. The stunt has caught the attention of many and was even featured as a question on Have I Got News For You. Time will tell if Shukla's sales will increase, though it seems the message to take from this random space mission is that authors have got to take it upon themselves to come up with creative marketing solutions for their books. 

Shukla, an 'ex-rapper' according to his website, also filmed a music video for Meatspace:

Who Needs A Holiday? 2014 Releases To Help You Escape

Are your social media feeds clogged with friends bragging about their holiday? There's nothing worse than switching on your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram to be met with tons of tanned-legs-on-the-beach shots and postcard perfect photos of foreign lands when you are stuck in the English summer rain. The constant bragging of your travelling mates is sure to send you into a spell of green-eyed envy. But why not escape to another country with some new fiction? Here is a selection of 2014 releases set in foreign locations to help you imagine you are somewhere else:

The Vacationers by Emma Straud

This May 2014 release seems a perfect holiday book - just look at that title! Even looking at the cover and imagining the heat of the sunshine warms me up a little. Straub's second novel focuses on the Mallorca holiday of New York family, the Posts, and examines each character's issues with precision. If you'd like to know more, take a look at this Huffington Post guide to the novel.

Lucky Us by Amy Bloom

Fancy an adverture across America...in the 1940s? Travel back in time with Amy Bloom's Lucky Us and follow two half-sisters' expedition across the US - including glitzy Hollywood and racuous Brooklyn. Read more about it at Bustle.

Nobody Is Ever Missing by Catherine Lacey

This new novel is about a woman's spontaneous escape from her stuffy life in America to New Zealand. Frequently described as 'accomplished' by reviewers, hopefully Lacey's debut will transport readers to their own escape. You can read more about this title on Slate.

The Sun and Other Stars by Brigid Pasulka

If you fancy a setting like the Italian Rivera, Pasulka's latest is the escapism novel for you. The book homes in on loss and the restoration of hope and love, and you can read more about it on the author's website.

A Poem For An Ending

The end of my second year at university is approaching (along with the looming dread of receiving exam results), and I thought this William Carlos Williams poem (which I read here) is apt for the occasion. The poem focuses on an issue many students have to deal with during their time at uni - the communal kitchen and the super awkward food theft situation. Whilst I've never had to deal with a kitchen thief (tips to my house mates), I have had to deal with some sticky situations when living with strangers in the past. 

I was tickled by the passive aggressive tone of 'In The Dorm's Communal Kitchen' ('hope you enjoyed them I guess') and the note-on-the-fridge-door format. Needless to say, hope they paid him back for the plums!

This is just to say
to whoever ate the plums
in the icebox
you could have just asked me if you could have one
my name was on the box
and i don’t have a meal plan
that was literally all i had to eat for the weekend and I was saving them for breakfast
so i hope you enjoyed them i guess
next time just ask

and honestly i would really
appreciate it if
you would apologize
like
so much depends upon an apology
slipped under a dorm room door
after lights out

This is just to say
that like im not MAD per se
i just wish that people would be honest
i wish people would be honest when they took my food
be responsible for yourself

This is just to say
i think its really WEIRD
that whoever took my plums
(and honestly I would have said yes if you had ASKED ME)
isnt coming forward?

Deny yourself all
half things. Have it
or leave it.
But it will keep—or
it is not worth
the having.
Never start
anything you can’t
finish—please dont TAKE A BITE
OUT OF MY PLUMS
AND THEN PUT THEM BACK IN THE FRIDGE
I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS GETTING PERSONAL
WE’RE IN COLLEGE
LETS BE ADULTS PLEASE
I REALLY DONT WANT TO HAVE TO TALK TO KELSEY ABOUT THIS
BUT I WILL

okay and now we’re graduating to my ice cream
i can’t forgive this
it was so sweet
and so cold
the ice cream that had my name on it
real cool guys
honestly that ice cream was like six dollars
that’s really messed up

Rebranding Classic Novels as Chick Lit Produces Cringey and Condescending Results

Reading a recent article on Flavorwire on embarrassing book covers for classic literature, I noticed a bit of a recurring trend. Many classic books written by women/about women are repeatedly rebranded by publishers as 'chick lit' or plastered with mediocre model shots more suited to a trashy romance novel than a piece of high quality literary fiction.

I've selected a few of my favourites from the Flavorwire list (and one of my own finding I couldn't resist to include). Yes, they may make you cringe, but I think many show that many publishers take a design strategy that is both condescending towards the reader and distorting of the writers' original messages.

Firstly, there's the 50th Anniversary issue of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar which caused a considerable internet storm for it's apparent 'chick lit' cover. You could argue that the largely pink design including a woman applying make up is whistling to the wrong tune - said tune being a startling novel about a woman experiencing mental illness in the 1950s/60s. It is a haunting book - but the chick lit-y appearance of this issues sells it as something it is not. Some people have defended the image - surely this semi-autobiographical novel is a reflective piece on the author's own life events, and this notion of reflection is modeled? Kirsty Grocott argued the cover is a fitting choice and illustrates the predicament the protagonist faces.

Is it a case of condescending 'chick lit treatment' or a seemingly well-intentioned cover? I have yet to make up my mind. 

Moving on swiftly - what about this cover of Wuthering Heights? Yep that's right - this is a Bronte novel and not an addition to the Twilight saga, though the design seriously echoes the series' characteristic artwork. The publisher even uses the vampiric 'Love Never Dies' motif seemingly to suck (pun intended) fans of Meyers' work into buying Wuthering Heights. 

This rebranding of a classic novel downgrades it to the same level as the vampire series and even pragmatically shifts its genre - does the popular mind project an expectation of fantasy onto this title? Does it damage the author's reputation? It's definitely an attempt to market Wuthering Heights for a younger audience, and attracting younger markets toward Victorian literature can only be positive. But through this extremely conscious case of rebranding, is the publisher actually condescending the audience?

Without seeing the author's name on the following copy, you would be forgiven for thinking the following title belonged to a writer like Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City). But wait - this is actually a genuine cover of Night and Day by Virginia Woolf. Yes, Woolf, who published this novel in 1919 (are you, like me, doubting the existence of halter necks in 1919? Just saying).

Night and Day is concerned with the plight of women's suffrage - and I'm not sure if the model pictured suits this theme. Sure, green was one of the suffragette colours ... but maybe she could have a purple sash? I'm just making suggestions *innocent face*.

I don't know why this is supposed to attract readers to Woolf but it seems condescending to make classic literature look like a magazine for the purpose of marketing.

Finally, here's a copy of Anne of Green Gables with a sultry country-bumpkin blonde. I would have LOVED to have been in the design consultation meeting for this one - 'Look, we know that sex sells. Agreed? Ok, can sex sell a beloved children's book about a young orphan girl? Absolutely!'. Grrrr.

Also, let's not forget that Anne is GINGER - a fact which a simple google image search could tell anyone. I despair.

Literary Tourism #2: 221b Baker Street

So, here is the second installment in my literary tourism series. Well, saying 'series' makes it sound as though I'm incredibly organised at planning my blog posts; actually, I just happened to stumble across Orwell's house on a trip to Portobello Road market back in September and yesterday I found myself in front of the house belonging to one of the most infamous detectives. Maybe we'll call this an accidental blog series, then.

221b Baker Street is of course the home of Arthur Conan Doyle's creation, Sherlock Holmes. The building is complete with a rather tongue-in-cheek blue plaque celebrating the Consulting Detective.

I wasn't the only one to take the opportunity for a photo opp - there was a huge queue of tourists down the street (in the pouring rain!!!) waiting to have their photo taken with a Victorian police officer and Holmes's notorious deer stalker hat.

Next door is the Sherlock Holmes Museum and Mrs Hudson's cafe - it seems Baker Street hosts quite an illustrious industry revolving around a fictional character. The Sherlock enterprise has no doubt been given a boost by the recent Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman adaptation. 

Wicked Women: The Mean Girls of Literature

Tina Fey's Mean Girls, starring the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried, is apparently 10 years old today. At my 10th birthday party a group of my friends and I watched the movie in awe, giddy at its rudeness and delighted that 'that girl from Parent Trap who played twins' was in another film. Today, the internet has consequently exploded with #fetch hashtags and reminiscent Regina George quotes/memes. In response, For Books Sake have published a guest post discussing their favourite mean girls of literature, including the likes of Blair of Gossip Girl to Mrs Danvers in Rebecca.

This article has got me thinking about my own favourite evil women in literature, the 'life ruiners' alike Regina George who may have been overseen. So, I present to you my own list of literary Mean Girls:

Victoria in Zofloya, or The Moor by Charlotte Dacre

The mere thought of the female protagonist in Charlotte Dacre's 1806 novel makes me shudder. Victoria becomes a life ruiner several times over under the control of the devilish Zofloya; she's jealous, a bit sex crazy (maybe even a rapist), torturer, and savage killer of innocent Lillia (cos she doesn't even go here! Meaning: she's stolen Victoria's Henriquez...I had to fit that quote in somewhere!?) Altogether a bit of a...you know...rhymes with hyco witch?

Miss Havisham in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Poor Pip is the target of Miss Havisham's plans for revenge on mankind, pursuing his broken heart through her adopted daughter, Estella. Havisham, however, is owed perhaps more sympathy - left at the altar, she is ultimately denied the Victorian right to fulfilled womanhood (children), and becomes a recluse living in the suspended moment of what was meant to be her wedding day. No pink Wednesdays for Havisham...just the discoloured white of her decaying wedding dress every single day of the week. Not so fetch.

Medea in Medea by Euripides

A couple of thousand years later, Medea still appears as evil as ever. Jealous of Jason and his new love, she kills their children and taunts him with their bloody bodies. As you do.

Tamora in Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

Tamora, Queen of the Goths, is out for vicious means of revenge in this bloody Bard play - and, considering the death of her eldest son in the play's early scenes, she does seem to have motive. Evil nonetheless.

Choc Lit: A selection of chocolate-themed reads for Easter

Easter, for me, is about chocolate (Lie - everyday is about chocolate isn't it?). Anyway, Easter Day is a remarkable day when I am presented with a range of chocolatey treats by family members which I must stare at, drool for, and dutifully decide what time it is appropriate to guiltily crack open the first egg (11am approx. by my standards). Chocolate is also linked to books - there are the book awards sponsored by Galaxy, and even a publisher I found online aiming to find books only suitable to be read with a side helping of chocolate treats (I know, genius marketing ploy, isn't it?)

Anywho, I thought I would write a (long-overdue) blog post especially for Easter about pieces of literature which fixate on chocolate almost as much as I do everyday.

Chocolat by Joanne Harris 

Let's start with the obvious - this 1999 novel is about Vianne Rocher, a woman who opens a chocolate shop in a grumpy French village. It seems a poignant choice for Easter reading too - as much of the plot's tension comes from the village Church's disapproval of the indulgence represented by the chocolate sold by Rocher during Lent.

Admittedly, I haven't actually read this novel although I thought it was a bit too obvious to leave out of the selection in this post. I have, however, watched the film version in the hope of seeing Johnny Depp - only to be very disappointed because he only turns up as a sort of folk-hero chocolate bandit towards the end.




Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl 

And how could I have forgotten this wonderful book? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my favourite children's books, along side the rest of Dahl's work. If you don't know the plot (how could you NOT?), it follows a young poor boy called Charlie who received a Golden Ticket to go to the elusive and exclusive Wonka Factory. Did anyone else feel extremely jealous when Augustus Gloop fell in that chocolate river? Nope? Just me then?

It's a tale that has been made into a feature film twice - the eccentric factory-owner Willy Wonka first played by Gene Wilder in 1971 and then Johnny Depp in 2005 (I am starting to develop a conspiracy theory that Depp likes to make films about cocoa treats...or is that just me?).











'Chocs' by Carol Ann Duffy

Let's not forget poetry either - I have found this great little poem by Duffy which describes the experience of tucking into a box of Terry's Moonlight - the excitement of the 'electrifying rustle' of wrappers, the 'dark and glamorous scent' of chocolate, the 'chomp[ing]' and gorg[ing] until disappointingly finding only the horrid Coffee Cream left. We all have those one in a chocolate box that we hate, after all.



'Harlem Sweeties' by Langston Hughes

This poem by Langston Hughes may initially seem like an account of a sweet shop in  Harlem, but you soon realise Hughes is writing about his admiration for women in the neighbourhood. Sweet treats, like chocolate, become representative of women of Hughes' admiration - it's a colourful and fast-paced poem (albeit, a little misogynistic). You can read it here.