REJECTIONS

And they keep coming...

Yep, just recieved my fifth thanks but no thanks from an agent regarding my novel, All Will Be Well.

Will it? I ask a little deflated.

At least they are writing to let you know, my positive side says.

Yeah, but thats the fifth rejection, they said 'not motivated' enough, that means boring, says the negative gremlin.

Ok, thats true, positive peacock retorts, but they do wish me well with finding representation and, yes and, they admit that its a very subjective assessment. (Sticks tongue out...)

Well I still believe it's good enough, look at JK Rowling...

Yeah, yeah, hundreds of rejections and now look - well you ain't no JK...

Onwards and Forwards...


Book Review

The Ice House by Minette Walters



Characters
Three women who live in 'the big house' under great suspicion of the other villagers, a missing presumed dead husband, a half eaten body and a cold dark place at the bottom of the garden. One of the key characters is a disgruntled police seargent, unhappy with life and the force but who does learn how to like himself a little by the end.


Plot
Its a regular 'whodunnit' but Walters keeps us guessing about it all from start to finish. She is very gifted at taking a very simple plot - dead body, very little evidence and one suspect - and weaving and winding her way to take us to different dead ends. He story telling is absolutely a dream and she keeps all the threads together neatly tying off the knots as she goes along.

Setting
In a quintisential but run of the mill English village in present day and with flash backs to ten years previously when the abusive husband of one of the women went missing. The Detective in charge of the recent inquiry was present then and is convinced that she murdered him. The Ice House is a super title which describes both the poor being who is found half eaten by animals and who maybe or may not be the missing man?


Quick Summary
There are lots of little subplots, like the women portray themsleves (well don't deny the rumours) as lesbians. The woman abused has a daughter and son and the daughter harbours emotional problem exhibited through anorexia. The wife of a missing man appears to develop religous and sex manias - which is actually quite sinister and the Detective in charge has something to hide. The community have played a big part in the ostrac...in the ostrac... oh flip, can't spell it but they have shunned the women and my favourite character was Anne Catterel, one of the three women who also happened to be a writer.




Recommendation - Absolutely