No Takers

Well, two publishers asked to see my manuscript, and I was hopeful. After three months I got in touch to ask about it, and one said 'Thanks but no thanks' but suggested some other publishers who might be interested. I contacted them and didn't even get a reply. The other one said they were still looking at it. After another two months, the other publisher said they liked it but they had had their funding cut and could no longer afford to publish such books.

I tried contacting the Gower Society, who publish books on local issues, and wrote to the editor of their Journal, since I couldn't find a submissions address. I asked if he could point me to the right person. He didn't even acknowledge me. I tried contacting the councillor who gave me his business card and offered support, and got no reply. So now I am full of doubt about the quality of the book, and don't know what to do next.

And to rub it in, the grand opening of Alina's chapel is in two weeks. It would have been the perfect opportunity to market the book, since it is Alina's chapel and there are no books about Alina.

Next week is the Swansea Writers Circle meeting, so I am going too ask for help there. Perhaps someone can advise me and offer to read it.

Publisher, possibly

I finally plucked up the courage to begin contacting publishers about the book. All the advice seemed to say 'Don't email publishers, they don't like it' and 'Publishers will keep you waiting weeks for a reply, so be patient.' Wrong on both counts.

I began by searching 'The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook' for suitable publishers and made a list. Then I checked out each of their web sites and eliminated a few. There were several which gave email addresses for initial contact. So, using the advice from the yearbook, I composed an enquiry letter and emailed it off with my Introduction, which contains a synopsis, and a chapter list with brief details. Most non-fiction publishers expect a proposal, and you will only write the book once they have agreed. I made it clear that the book is already written and substantially edited.

So yesterday morning I sent the emails and went out. When I came home I had a reply from one publisher asking to see the book! So today I printed it out and wrote a cover letter, and it will be posted tomorrow!

Watch this space.

Latest Draft and a New Title

Well, it's finished. For how long, I don't know. The book ended up over fifteen thousand words long, with over two hundred endnotes. Some references I couldn't find so I rewrote the passage, but I found some new stuff as well. It's hard to know where to stop. I have found a sweet story about Alina since, and I don't know whether to put that in as well. Maybe I'll blog it.

I have also amended the title to better reflect what it is about. It is now called 'The White Lady of Oystermouth and the Fall of a King'.

Anyway, for now, it has gone off to the kind people at the Historical Association for comment, and to my husband, who has not read it before. He is my sternest critic. So watch this space.

Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust

In my search for information, on Thursday I took the day off work and made an appointment to visit the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust, whose offices are just a couple of streets away. I was told that it would be best to submit your requests in advance, so that they would have all the materials ready for you when you arrived. Well!

I arrived, and the person who answered the door had no idea who I was. I was invited in and told that no one was available to see me, and asked to wait. I was shown into an office where they looked at me expectantly and asked what I wanted. Not a good start! I explained and they rushed around and eventually found my questions, but were obviously not prepared. So they kept me talking while they rushed off to look for stuff.

Then it turned out that their meeting room has dry rot, which is being treated, so they squeezed me onto someone's desk (I don't know where they worked while I was there), and gave me a pile of books and files to look at. I don't know what I was expecting, but that wasn't it.

Anyway, I was there for three hours, and took loads of notes. Some things I just noted references as I thought I had the information already. They told me I can go back any time and ask for specific things, now I have seen the files, and I was allowed to photocopy some stuff.

The most interesting thing was that Dr Edith Evans, who wrote the booklet which I started my research with - Swansea Castle and the Medieval Town - works for GGAT and talked to me for quite a while. I suspect it may have been her desk I borrowed.

I also found a source which referred to Alina as Alianora, but I think I'll stick with Alina. The family name has also gone through several permutations. In France they were de Briouze. In England they were de Braose, and there is a lot of resource material still using that name. Then, locally, they were de Breos. I also found out that the local pronounciation for many generations for Parc le Breos, named after the family, is more like Brouze. Interesting.

Oh, one more thing. Gerald Gabb (see previous post) emailed me and asked for a copy of my outline, because he was so impressed with it. I am delighted.

The Grey Lady of Oystermouth

Alina de Breos (also spelled de Braose) was born about 1291 and her father William de Breos was Lord of Gower. The administrative centre for Gower was at Swansea Castle, but they preferred to live at Oystermouth Castle. Alina was married to John de Mowbray when she was only seven, and led an eventful life. She is regarded as being responsible for the building of the chapel at Oystermouth Castle, and is said to haunt it, being known as the Grey Lady of Oystermouth.

I first discovered Alina when researching Swansea Castle for a fantasy story idea about travelling back in time to the castle in it's heyday. It's heyday turned out to be the late 13th and early 14th century. All that remains of the castle is one corner at the top of a steep bank above The Strand, which used to run along the River Tawe. Apart from being a major port, I always assumed that Swansea was an insignificant town, but as I researched I found that it was part of a rebellion which toppled a king.

The fantasy story receded further into the background as I got more and more interested in this period in history. In this blog I aim to share my research and my thoughts as I plan to write a historical novel about Alina. In a novel, certain things have to be made up - the details of daily life, conversations etc. - but the historical facts must be accurate. I need to find out as much as I can, and make decisions about how to portray the rest. I hope you'll join me for the journey, and maybe learn a few things along the way.