My Baby Shot Me Down
We talk to authors Clarissa Angus, Maggy Van Eijk, Harriett Goodale, Deborah Hambrook, Claudine Lazar, Rachael Smart, Ruth Starling, Alison Wassell, Katherine Black and Laura Wilkinson who all collaborated on the following project; My Baby Shot Me Down. Below is the biggest author interview we have ever had on Female First and it's interesting to read the different responses each author gives to the same five questions!
Please tell us about the new collection My Baby Shot Me Down.
LW- It’s that rare thing: an anthology of prose and poetry with contributions from several authors. All the writers are women; some are first-time published, others are a little more experienced, though none are established. It represents a range of experiences and has something in there for men as well as women.
RG- My Baby Shot Me Down is an anthology of ten women writers, recently published by Blinding Books. It was the brainchild of Richard Penny and I worked alongside him and Rachael Smart, co-editing the work, as well as having some of my stories published in there. All of the featured writers used the writers’ website ABCtales, which is how Richard came across them. He was so impressed with the quality of the writing that he wanted to showcase some of their best work in a collection.
CA- This anthology is an amazing mix of female writing talent. From prose to poetry that feels like it’s been brought to life via the very murky depths of personal experiences, to social commentary, to exploits of emancipation and so much more – its contributors are uber-talented and I just feel immensely thrilled to be a part of it.
RS- My Baby Shot Me Down is an anthology of new women writer’s prose and poetry. The idea for the project emerged from Richard Penny, publisher and author of Blinding Books. Richard has been a long-term member of writer’s website ABCTales.com for many years and when he came across work he loved, by female writers on ABC Tales, he decided he must publish them in all in an anthology.
DH- My Baby Shot Me Down is a collection of poetry and prose featuring the work of some of the cleverest and most engaging female writers it has been my privilege to follow.
HG- It's a nice mixed bag of poetry and short fiction from ten women. I'd say there's something for everyone.
AW- It’s an anthology of prose and poetry by women writers, all of whom are, or have been in the past, contributors to the ABCtales website.
MV-Firstly I feel very lucky to be part of this amazing collection of poetry and prose, published by the always supportive Richard from Blinding Books. In the anthology we've showcased the very best of our writing. Reading the anthology in one sitting would be like going on a roller-coaster on acid, the highs and lows both equally intense, you'll probably feel miserable, ecstatic, angry and nauseous all at the same time but at the end of the day it's pretty life-affirming stuff. We're celebrating womanhood, creativity and just being alive.
CL-It’s a boxful of beautiful tricks from some lovely people. I hope you like it!
KB- My Baby Shot Me Down is a collection of poems and stories by ladies wearing kick-ass boots. These women shoot the people that shoot from the hip. The writing is straight, honest and real.
How did you become involved in the project?
LW- The short answer is that Richard Penny of Blinding Books heard me read at a live literature ABCtales event in London a few years back. He bought and read my novel – thank you, Richard – and went on to read the shorter work I’d posted on the ABCtales site. He liked what he read and asked if he could include a couple of my pieces in the collection. I was flattered and thrilled.
RG-I was already friends with Richard and had helped him on some of his other projects, such as proofreading A Hoxton Childhood. He was very encouraging of my work and, in fact, was the person who suggested that I start writing in the first place.
CA- I was asked by one of the editors to take part via ABCtales – a website that is home to creative writing talent beyond measure. Usually, I'd shy away from such exposure, but this time I thought: What the hey? I'm very glad that I said yes. A few weeks later, I was part of something huge. It's an amazing privilege. Be sure to check it out, as well as the site of the publisher that took a chance on my amateur writing: Blinding Books.
RS- Richard Penny approached me to ask if I’d consider contributing some of my own work and also help him to co-edit the anthology. I’m a fairly new member of ABCTales.com but an active writer on the site, with former editing experience, so it was a fantastic opportunity for me. Not only did I get to contribute to the process of publishing a book right through to the final product, but it was such a pleasure to experience the range and quality of the writer’s work.
DH- I became involved in the project quite late in the day when I was contacted by Rachel Smart, a co-editor of the book, (and also one of the ten authors) to say they were short of material and my name had come up as a possibility - was I interested? And I was.
HG- I knew the publisher Richard and some of the other women from the writing/critiquing site abctales.com. I didn't really think I had anything to offer for the anthology at first, but Richard and Ray persuaded me otherwise, and I'm very glad they did.
AW- I started posting some of my work on ABCtales a few years ago, when I was in the very early stages of ‘becoming a writer’. Richard Penny (the lovely man behind Blinding Books) is also a member. He was always very encouraging about my stories. When he asked me to be part of this anthology I hesitated for about five minutes.
MV-I've been part of the writing forum ABC Tales ever since I was seventeen and it's always been a home away from home for me. Through the site I met Richard, who I then met in the flesh at a reading in London. He asked me to a be part of the anthology and of course I said yes.
CL-I was thrilled to be invited by Richard Penny who I know through ABCTales.
KB- I was asked. As a long-time writer on ABCTales Richard, seemed to think that my ranting rambles were suitable. I was honoured to accept.
Why is it important to still have anthologies that celebrate women’s writing rather than a mixture of genders?
LW-Because there are established mixed gender collections, and single author collections, and with the reduced frequency of the Asham Award there is a gap in the market. The playing field is still not level – in many different walks of life – and so it’s important to reflect this in literature. Perhaps. I can never quite make up my mind!
RG- Women are constantly over-looked in all artistic fields, not just literature. I hope My Baby Shot Me Down encourages other women writers, especially unpublished ones. The anthology isn’t written for a female audience, but includes some very distinctive and exciting work by new women writers, that can be enjoyed by anyone. One of my own stories is written from a young boy’s point of view and another, Atomic, is about a Japanese man called Tsutomu Yamaguchi who survived the A-bombs at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so I don’t restrict myself to writing about female experiences. However, I do appreciate being published alongside some very strong female talent!
CA- Women are still marginalised today across all professions, so I think that it’s great that this anthology captures a wealth of solely female writing talent. I remember many moons ago approaching a male employee in a branch of a popular book selling chain about a book recommendation. Without blinking, he suggested a book by a female author while adding “I don’t usually read books written by women.” I’m still trying to figure out what he meant by that, and why.
RS- Women-only anthologies are often frowned at in literature; they risk isolating women merely for being women and that doesn’t help to establish a more inclusive canon with their art firmly at the forefront. But women’s experiences as women also set them apart and not acknowledging that is plain defeatist. You could argue it until the cows come home but I haven’t got time, there’s kids to feed. Female unity feels scarce these days; a collection of women’s fictional voices waxing their lyrics on love, family, relationships, sex, birth and the universe gives an overwhelming sense of celebratory cohesion and satisfaction back. That’s why it’s important. It gels people, it clarifies what we already know but like hearing again and again because being female and writing decently about life as a woman is always relevant.
DH- I think it's still the case that it's harder for women to be recognised in the world of writing and so it's great to take advantage of an opportunity to showcase your work in an all-female anthology. I was thrilled to be asked.
HG- Initially I couldn't get my head around this. After all if you are asserting equality then it makes sense to have a mix of genders. But now I see it more as a celebration of female perspectives, female creativity, and just being a woman in general. It's nice to be represented in the media for something you have made with your mind, without an accompanying critique of your outfit and appearance.
AW- To be honest, I don’t really have a good answer to this question. I don’t particularly see myself as a ‘women’s writer’. But I’m happy to be included in any good anthology that will have me. And I believe that this is a very good anthology.
MV-Just take a look at how women are being treated in the media right now, it's unsettling and I think it's important to push back. An all-female anthology is a pretty great way to do that. Of course, if I was asked to be in anthology that included a mix of genders I wouldn't say no, it just so happened that the themes and aims of this anthology fitted with this specific group of females. We're basically a badass literary girl band.
CL- I’m not sure. I do know that this is something special, and has been all the way through, from its inception to its publication. Perhaps that has to do with the collaboration involved. The generosity from everyone has been remarkable - also the unflappability of Richard, Ruth and Ray.
KB- Is it exclusively important? I think it's important for anybody that has words to write to be able to do it, regardless of gender. The reason that MBSMD works so well is that the women showcased all have an individual style, but still have similarities-- and that's what glues the book together. I'm sure a group of gardeners or morris dancers could bring their own words to their own style, we just get descriptive about vaginas rather than manure or shaking sticks.
Please tell us about your stories/ poems in the book.
LW- Buried is the story of how a poor, uneducated woman shapes the future of the narrator. The key scene takes place during the blistering summer of 1976 and it is the relentless heat which contributes to a reckless and transformative moment. The Whispering Wall is a ghost story, or a story about madness and grief caused by the loss of a child, depending how you read it. It is set in a house which backs onto Highgate Cemetery and I hope that the strange, ethereal beauty of this famous Victorian burial ground permeates the tale. I used to live near the cemetery and loved wandering around it – it is full of stories.
RG- I write a great deal from personal experience, but I like to give things a humorous twist. Supermarket Secrets was inspired by the second worst job I’ve ever had (the worst was one night as a barmaid in a nightclub) and the suppressed violence that was apparent at the time. I-Spy was influenced by a relationship I had with someone I found very difficult to trust and I’m sure a lot of readers will cringe in recognition of those feelings. Breakers captures something of the late seventies CB Radio era. I used some details from my own childhood holidays, but the story is quite dark and entirely fictitious.
CA- My pieces are prose only because poetry is beyond me – I greatly admire poets. They are a mixture of experiences and random thoughts. Perhaps I’m a not-so-secret sci-fi / fantasy geek. Or, perhaps, my imagination is odd. Either way, I still can’t believe any of my pieces made it in. I am very proud of ‘Decisions’ and ‘Playing’. They are two very different pieces and the feedback I’ve had about them makes me feel like maybe I can do this writing lark, sometimes.
RS- My work that was selected for the anthology is some of my heavy stuff. I write lots of frolicky humour and satire, but the work selected was deep and serious. My poems are dark and visceral; the ones featured in the anthology are potent, early poems that have already undergone lots of transformation. They don’t sit easily with readers and have lots of raw emotion in them. I’m not apologetic for that. Suck it up or move on to the next piece. Patriarchy and Tuppences are fictional observations on social madness with a touch of humour. Tissue Atlas is a short story that emerged from the scars on my body and explores how we can re-invent ourselves through our markings.
DH- I have a selection of poems in the book, which range from humour to tragedy.
HG- There are some different styles of poetry and a couple of short stories. I don't really know what else to say.
AW- I am mainly a writer of flash fiction (i.e. Very short short stories.) Most of the pieces that appear in the anthology began life as entries in the online writing competition WriteOnSite, which takes place every Saturday evening. The idea is that you choose one of three given prompts, write for 30 minutes, then submit your story. The following Wednesday a shortlist of three is published. The un-shortlisted entrants vote for their favourite story. The prize is £50. I love it. I Blame the Parents was the winner of the micro-fiction category in the New Writer Prose and Poetry Prizes 2012. My longer story, Guests, was placed second in the 2500 word category of the Words with Jam Bigger Short Story Competition. I enter lots of competitions!
MV- My poems tend to have a speaker who feels alien or strange in their situation. Having moved country a gazillion times and being a foreigner in London, that 'alien' feeling is something you never quite shake. Families and relationships also play a huge part; I find that my characters are always desperately trying to assemble some sort of family out of whatever they can find. As I grow older I realise more and more that family isn't just shared DNA. Lastly, there's always a strong element of humour - if you can't laugh through the pain then what's the point?
CL- Things I’d forgotten about. Things that might or might not be based on reality. Things I found in my head.
KB- Mourning Glory is one of the very first short stories that I wrote. To be honest, I've written better, but it was one of a handful of early stories that made me want to be a writer. It's personal to me and has long been one of my favourites.Because of that story, I'm now a report writer for the NHS and I write courses and exam papers for the Open University in the evenings and at weekends. I can finally call myself a full time, professional writer, even though life takes off in odd directions and it's not what I'd choose to be writing. It all started with a story about a horse. The other two pieces in the book are diary excerpts, and despite my best efforts to become a novelist, unfortunately, people prefer to read my diaries. In retrospect, I wish I'd chosen pieces that showcase my fiction.
When did your writing journey begin?
LW-About seven years ago. Like many writers, I began with short stories, penned while my son slept. When I attempted a novel it was an experiment – to see if I could do it – and once I’d finished I realised that I’d found my form. I continue to write and read short stories, but I find them harder than longer works, so I admire those who have mastered the form.
RG- I was always told I should be an artist when I was young, but I never felt comfortable in that sphere and was always comparing my work unfavourably to other artists. It never occurred to me to write. It wasn’t until I had post-natal depression that I started blogging as a way of feeling less isolated. My adventures in fiction started in a dentist’s waiting room a year ago, when I wrote a short story based on my teenage years as a Goth. My first stories were flash fiction, simply because I couldn’t concentrate for more than a couple of hundred words! My writing muscles are more developed now, though.
CA- The minute I decided that I wanted to give this a go and enjoyed every single, painstaking, constructively critical, positive and negative response. My writing journey is still ongoing.
RS- Writing’s an integral part of my life and has been since adolescence. It all started in a den in my parent’s back garden, writing my novel in a new Fords the Family Store exercise book. The male character had eyes like ‘chocolate whirlpools’ and a ‘motorbike voice.’ For years, I’ve tried to imagine what a Kawasaki voice would sound like and if it would result in sex.
DH - I have written poetry for as long as I can remember. Even as a young child, I was always being accused of having an overactive imagination, constantly singing and skipping to chanted rhymes made up as I went along. Having been asked to be included in this fab book has made me assume that I must have improved since then.
HG- I had been writing since I was little but it was just something I did for fun; I never thought I could be any good at it. It was joining abctales a few years ago that made me begin to think maybe I had something I could work on.
AW- How I detest that ‘journey’ thing! Makes me feel like an X Factor contestant. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl, but did nothing about it until a few years ago, when I took a short online fiction writing course with the Open University. My tutor said I should submit things to magazines. I did, and I’ve had a few successes. Which is nice….
MV- Possibly in school when we had to do a creative writing task but mine took far too long because I decided to write four notebooks full about this green Martian girl who was trying to learn how to ski. I think the intensity I applied to that one assignment made me realise that writing was something I simply had to do. I definitely didn't feel that kind of urgency when I was forced to play Netball! Also the day I started posting on ABC Tales was a pretty big milestone, until then my poetry had been hiding away in scraps of paper. I remember the first time I got a comment saying that something I'd written meant something to them. It made me feel much more connected to everything.
CL- It was always something I did on and off. This time round it began as a dare and turned into something I couldn’t be without.
KB- At the turn of the century. I discovered writing for the first time and I found that I quite like it.
What is next for you?
LW-Alongside the promotional work for this anthology and my novel, Public Battles, Private Wars (Accent Press), I’ve started work on another narrative. Early days but it’s about a mother and daughter who have retreated to a declining seaside town after a tragedy. A man, also a stranger to the community, comes into their lives and forces them to confront uncomfortable truths. It’s about forgiveness and redemption and love – I think. Watch this space.
RG- I’m hoping to write my first novel this year. I have an idea, but I’m not sure exactly where it will lead. I’ll continue to publish poetry on the website Ephemeris, which I share with my friend, Rachael Smart, who is also in the anthology. I’m currently writing a parallel short story with Rachael where we both tell the same story from a different character’s view point. But unfortunately, real life keeps getting in the way of my work at the moment!
CA- A larger piece, such as a novel. I have no idea whether or not I have a novel in me, but I’m going to give it a go. If all else fails, I think I can do the short story thing, but it’s early days yet. Check out the anthology and decide for yourself.
RS- I’m submitting to competitions way beyond my remit and working on my first extended piece of prose. ‘Extended’ is a psychological trick word to make it seem a small task. I’m always busy with our website Ephemeris; a poetry collaboration with friend and writer, Ruth Giles. It’s our way of keeping poetry in the here and now, polished or not.
DH- Right now, I have a couple of projects on the go. I am in the process of compiling a collection of children's poetry for publication and also putting together a selection of my own work for a poetry pamphlet. Then hopefully, I'll get to complete the novel I've been agonising over on and off for the past eight years.
HG- In September I'm quitting my job and going back to college to study literature. My job is very manual and involves a lot of travelling and I find it really hard to write or be creative at all. I can't wait for my new life to begin. I feel like I'll be a whole new person and hopefully I'll be able to take my writing to the next level and really start to take it seriously.
AW- Trying to be a better writer of short stories. I’m not a wannabe novelist. I’m on a mission to convince people that short stories are not what you do before you write a novel. They are a completely different art form, and equally valid; not some poor relation.
MV- September my short film 'Milkshake' is set to be filmed by a talented team of filmmakers so I'm busy redrafting and ironing out any hitches. I'm very excited!
CL- I’m in the middle of something - perhaps a bit further along than that. I’m not able to work on it at the moment, but when that changes, there’s a slightly dusty old farmhouse on a small island where I’ll be picking it up again.
KB- I'd like time to write novels, or at least finish the ones that I have scattered all over my brain and hard drive like crap from a silage machine. Somebody made me a serious writer and my path seems to lie in corporate writing. That's a massive shame because I just want to write my silly books. The sad thing is that after fifteen years of learning how to write, (I was more or less illiterate when I began,) I'm probably finally at a publishable standard, but fate stepped in, told me to stop writing like an idiot and made me get serious. I keep trying to inject humour into corporate writing...it doesn't work...and so far, I haven't be allowed to kill anybody. I'm working on that. I don't believe anybody's written an SEO psychological thriller.