Emma Chapman, author of How To Be A Good Wife

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about emma

about emma
- Emma Chapman is 27 and currently lives in Perth, Western Australia.
  
  She wanted to be an actress until she was 16 and acted in a school play. She was terrible. But she did realise that the things she loved about acting (imagining she was somebody else), she could work at in a locked room as a writer instead of in front of an audience as an actress. That way, she could slog quietly until she was good and then everyone would think she was a genius.
  
  After studying English Literature at Edinburgh University, Emma moved to London and did an MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway. There, she was taught by Susanna Jones and Andrew Motion and spent most of the time willing her face back to a normal colour in front of these 'real' writers.
  
  She also worked part time at Toby Eady Associates literary agency, where she was taught the ropes of publishing by the kindly green-tea-drinking folks there.
  
  After her masters, she moved to Western Australia. From there, she sent Toby Eady Associates her finished novel, and then nearly swallowed her own tongue in anticipation. Luckily, they liked it, and after drinking much champagne, Emma worked on the novel with them for a further two years before it found a wonderful home at Picador in the UK.
books

books
- How To Be A Good Wife
  
  My first novel was published in the UK and Australia by Picador on 3rd January 2013. It comes out across Europe and in the US later in the year. Here's what it's about:
  
  I know what my husband would say: that I have too much time on my hands; that I need to keep myself busy. That I need to take my medication. Empty nest syndrome, he tells his friends at the pub, his mother. He's always said I have a vivid imagination.
  
  Marta and Hector have been married for a long time -- so long that she finds it difficult to remember her life before him. He has always taken care of her, and she has always done everything she can to be a good wife.
  
  But when Hector comes home with a secret, their ordered domestic life begins to unravel. In the shadows there is a blonde girl that only Marta can see. And she is trying to tell her something.
  
  To read an extract from the book, click here.
  
  You can order the book in the UK on Amazon or Waterstones. You can get a signed copy here. It is also available from all good independent book shops. Click here to read about our post-publication Indie Book Crawl and see some great pictures.
  
  How To Be A Good Wife has also been sold in the US, Australia, Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands.
  
  For photos from travels in Scandinavia which inspired the book, click the Pinterest page here.
  
  For a podcast of me reading from the book and chatting to my editor, click here.
  
  To like the book on Facebook for more updates, click here.
  
  Book Club Questions:
  
  1. What were your first impressions of Marta? Did you like her as a character? Did your impressions of her change throughout the book?
  
  2. What did you think was the significance of the setting of the novel? Why do you think it is specifically unnamed?
  
  3. Hector is an ambiguous character throughout the book. Did your views of him change as the book progressed?
  
  4. Marta can be considered an unreliable narrator. Were there moments in the book when you didn't trust her? Why?
  
  5. A book Marta was given as a wedding gift left a lasting impression on her. Why do you think she played by the ‘rules’ according to the book?
  
  6. Do you think Marta's interpretations of events were correct? Can you see things from Hector's side? Who did you believe?
  
  7. The ending of the novel is ambiguous. Did you think this was the right ending for Marta?
  
  8. The novel examines three generations of women from the same family. Do you think it raises larger questions about what it is to be a woman and to fulfil certain roles?
reviews

reviews
- How To Be A Good Wife
  
  In the press:
  
  ‘The unnamed Scandinavian setting has all the familiar elements of contemporary northern lights noir, yet its claustrophobic, interior-driven narrative harks back to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s disturbing feminist classic The Yellow Wallpaper, or even Ibsen's A Doll's House… The novel is Chapman's debut, and is eerily well-handled... Chapman shows real empathy for loneliness and the cruelty of ageing… A plausible tale of trauma, a ruthless examination of the many layers of marriage, and a woman's opaque role with it.’ - The Guardian
  
  ‘A powerful, original and haunting debut… hard to put down and impossible to forget.’ - Daily Examiner, Australia
  
  ‘Something of the hit TV drama The Killing pervades this absorbing and multi-layered debut novel. On one level a chilling tale of suspense among the Norwegian fjords, it offers the reader so much more… You might like to set aside a long winter afternoon for this one. The chances are that one you open it, you’ll want to finish it all in one go.' - Daily Mail
  
  ‘Chapman’s debut can be read both as a taut thriller and an allegory of the female experience in an unhappy marriage, the waning sense of self felt by the woman who attends to the needs of her family before her own… Marta’s gradual slide into madness is brilliantly convincing. As with Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, the narrator’s psychological torment contrasts disconcertingly with the detached language in which it is described. It makes for a darkly fascinating debut’ - Financial Times
  
  ‘It is, on the one hand, a taut, economically written and expertly woven thriller – deceptive in its simplicity and chilling in the claustrophobia that builds with each successive page. It is also a deeply unsettling exploration of a fragile mind unravelling, either through the weight of its own paranoid delusions or painful memories too-long suppressed… How To Be a Good Wife is a highly assured, powerful and thought-provoking offering from an author whose best work is surely yet to come. It will stay with you long after you turn the final page.’ - Style etc magazine
  
  ‘An impressive debut’ - Sun-Herald, Sydney
  
  'A chilling study of paranoia and doubt...Chapman builds the tension, as Marta's behaviour becomes more erratic and her seemingly benign husband begins to appear in a sinister light. An unnerving tale, where nothing is as it seems.' - Marie Claire
  
  ‘Chapman has created a keenly claustrophobic mood in which to tell a woman’s story… the snow and fjords surrounding the village, and its distance from any city, lend an eerie layer of isolation to the taut atmosphere… The dissection of a middle-aged marriage and the slow release of suspense that surrounds it is an artful and unusual composition made strong with insight’ - Sydney Morning Herald
  
  ‘Chapman’s carefully constructed plot slowly but expertly builds the tension…Chapman’s writing is so assured it is difficult to believe this is her first novel… How To Be A Good Wife is not just enthralling fiction, but also social commentary, a combination that provokes the reader to reflect on the fraught and complicated nature of human existence. Chapman has written a book as chilling as a Scandinavian fjord in winter, but also as clear, clean and compelling’ - The Australian
  
  ‘Replete with interesting topics and there are twists aplenty. Marta’s voice is compelling and convincing and the prose often Hemingway-esque in style… There’s a narrative bravery to this debut that is rare in contemporary fiction of any genre’ - The Big Issue Australia
  
  'There is something about the pared-down prose, the increasingly ominous isolation and the sense of unease that our narrator feels that saves the story from melodrama- instead the reader, trapped with a sympathetic yet unreliable narrator, begins to align themselves ever more closely to Marta's position. This is a tremendous book.' - Huffington Post
  
  'Fans of Before I Go To Sleep will love this chilling debut from Emma Chapman.' - Grazia
  
  ‘Wonderfully assured… This is a tale of the tricks repression, denial and memory can play on us… Set in an eerie, purposefully undefined part of Scandinavia, this is an unnerving, clever read. It’s one of those novels (think Gone Girl) with a big twist. Recommended for fans of S J Watson, Rosamund Lupton and Zoe Heller’ - Red magazine
  
  'Chilling and original with plenty of tense moments to keep the pages turning.' - Simple Things
  
  'This taut debut will have you rooting for Marta as she rediscovers who she was before her marriage. A must-read for fans of S J Watson’- Easy Living
  
  ‘The after-effects of the dark and uncomfortable story linger long after the last page . . . a gripping piece of writing where everything is not quite as it seems’ - Psychologies
  
  ‘A sense of unease pervades this unusual, cleverly constructed and beautifully written tale of distrust’ - Choice Magazine
  
  ‘It’s taut, this book. It throbs with a ghastly expectation of what might happen any minute now.’ - Tessa Dunlop, Classic FM
  
  ‘Chapman mines this vein of claustrophobic creepiness to great effect’ - The Lady
  
  Author Recommendations
  ‘On the surface the book is a highly competent, creepy little chiller, but beneath, like a silent, bolted and half-dark room, there’s a much bigger, equally disconcerting story about the nature of feminine experience. It’s an accomplished debut from a writer who shows insight and emotional power’
  
  Hilary Mantel, Man Booker Prize winning author of Wolf Hall
  
  ‘In her first novel, Emma Chapman has managed to walk a delicate, terrifying line. How To Be a Good Wife is at once claustrophobic, startling and hauntingly beautiful. It’s that amazing, awful kind of book that will stay with you long after you wish it would let you go’
  Liza Klaussmann, author of Tigers in Red Weather
  
  ‘A compelling debut: tightly plotted, tensely written, and subtle in its explorations of motive. Emma Chapman is very accomplished in her present, and a bright hope for the future’
  Andrew Motion
  
  ‘An intensifying mood of menace pervades this mesmerising debut. Is the fragile Marta slipping into paranoia? Or glimpsing agonising insights into a devastating nightmare about herself and her 'perfect' marriage…?’
  
  David Hewson, author of The Killing
  
  ‘So tense. Brilliantly written and utterly gripping. I loved it.’
  Hannah Richell, author of Secrets of the Tides
  
  ‘Mesmerising. A beautiful and disturbing novel. I loved it’
  Susanna Jones, author of When Nights Were Cold
  
  ‘A compelling, twisty tale of deception and distrust. Beautifully written, and very clever indeed’
  
  Elizabeth Haynes, author of Into the Darkest Corner
  
  ‘Compelling and complex, this brave novel offers no safety nets… Not just a gripping read but an essential one. It will provoke questions long after the cover is closed’
  
  Ruth Dugdall, author of The Woman Before Me, winner of the CWA debut dagger award
  
  ‘Taut, elegant and pitch-perfect. As soon as you've read it you'll want to talk about it’
  
  Evie Wyld, author of After the Fire, A Still Small Voice
  
  ‘A tense, unnerving debut, told with precision and control. As unsettling as any ghost story’
  
  Simon Lelic, author of Rupture and The Child Who
  
  'An impressive debut novel. Here's hoping there's more from Emma Chapman.'
  M. J. Hyland, author of the Booker-shortlisted Carry Me Down and How the Light Gets In
  
  ‘Compelling, edgy and dark – I read How To Be a Good Wife in one sitting’
  Jane Rusbridge, author of Rook and The Devil’s Music
press

press
- The latest and greatest press features:
  
  Reviews
  
  The Guardian
  
  The Daily Mail
  
  The Financial Times
  
  The Sydney Morning Herald
  
  The Australian (review)
  
  The Australian (Picks of 2013)
  
  Huffington Post
  
  Red Magazine
  
  STYLE etc Magazine
  
  Glass Magazine
  
  Culture Street
  
  Little Reader Library
  
  Orange Pekoe Reviews
  
  Words of Mercury Blog Review
  
  Little Words Review
  
  Random Things Through My Letterbox
  
  Nudge Me Now
  
  Sylvan Historian
  
  Poppy Gee
  
  Write Note Reviews
  
  The Lady
  
  Rich Tapestry Reads
  
  What Katy Reads
  
  Write Note Reviews
  
  Mosman Readers
  
  Interviews
  
  Sydney Morning Herald
  
  Hoopla
  
  In Madrid Magazine
  
  Little Words
  
  Isabel Costello's On The Literary Sofa
  
  Everything is Cool
  
  Culture Street
  
  For Books' Sake
  
  Pre-publication
  
  West Australian
  
  Withington Girls' School
  
  Royal Holloway, University of London
  
  The Bookseller
  
  Booktrade
  
  For UK press enquiries, please contact Emma Bravo at Picador: E.Bravo@macmillan.co.uk.
  
  For Australian press enquiries, please contact Charlotte Ree at Picador Australia: Charlotte.Ree@macmillan.com.au.
  
  For international press enquiries, please contact Zaria Rich at Toby Eady Associates: zaria@tobyeadyassociates.co.uk.
  
  All author photographs are copyright Claire Weir. Please contact her here for rights.
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Posts

Profile
- Writers Ask Writers: Where do you write?
  
  May 23, 13
  
  This is an interesting question for me at the moment. I am currently packing up my house for a big move from Perth to Jakarta. All our accumulated junk from the last four years has been either binned, op-shopped, or packed away. The only items of furniture I haven’t yet consigned to Gumtree are my bed, my desk and my printer.
  
  These three items have qualified as essential to my everyday life. So, my desk in my small office is where I write. As you can see, I have few distractions (apart from the wine). I did have a notice board pinned with photographs for each section of my new novel but it got consigned to the bin (the photos didn’t). You can see the noise-cancelling headphones there, in case I need to block out any outside noise. Sometimes I listen to classical music.
  
  I have a quote from Hilary Mantel pinned above my desk which reads:
  
  “If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, listen to music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don’t just sit there scowling at the problem. But don’t make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people’s words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.”
  
  This reminds me that I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. Sometimes, the words aren’t there, and the reason is usually that I’m not ready to write them. I need to do more research, to look at that particular part of the book again and ask why it isn’t moving forward. Maybe my subconscious hasn’t finished with it yet.
  
  Sitting at the same desk all day can make me go a bit crazy. If I feel like that, I take a walk around Lake Monger, or sit on our small terrace and read an unrelated novel. I also like to work in cafes in my local area, just to get me out and about. Baking with music on really loud also helps me to get back in the zone.
  
  If I want a big change, sometimes I'll go to the State Library to do some research. I cycle there, and that is another thing that gets my mind working. I had the breakthrough moment for How To Be A Good Wife while I was on my bike. I’ll spend the day at the library and I feel like a student again: for some reason it makes me feel more productive.
  
  I mentioned my bed before as another essential item of furniture. Funnily enough, I probably do work there too. Sometimes it is only when you stop thinking about a problem that it solves itself. Hence why so many people keep a notebook by the side of the bed. My friend Rebecca Wait, who is also a writer, likes to tell her friends she is hard at work even while she is at the pub with them (see Writing Tip for Self #2 here). This is a sentiment I heartedly agree with: let your subconscious do the work and take the day off.
  
  Where do you write? Always the same place, or do you mix it up? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below.
  
  Here's how my writerly friends answered the question...
  
  Annabel Smith:  "I wrote in public places mostly to overcome the isolation of spending all day every day alone at home..."
  
  Amanda Curtin: "The only rush hour traffic I ever encounter on the way there is a few sleepy doves..."
  
  Sara Foster: "I can't access my preferred brain food - hot chocolate and/or cake - so readily from my study, hence the local cafes all know me well..."
  
  Natasha Lester: "How can I not aspire to greatness when I have Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte and Margaret Atwood sitting just within reach?"
  
  Dawn Barker: "At the moment, there's a fairy doll and several crayons on my desk..."
- Ten Things I Will Miss About Australia
  
  May 15, 13
  
  In July, I will return to the UK to get married, and then we will be moving to Jakarta. I am thrilled that our new adventure is finally happening, but I have already starting mourning this place that has been so kind to us.
  
  Australia has been our home for the last four years. It is the place that tested our strength through distance, where we got engaged, and where I was through the exciting process of publication. I felt I should pay homage to the things that astonished me when I first arrived, and that I will miss when I leave.
  
  1.  Naked Trees
  
  I have long been in love with the Leederville gum trees, who once a year shed their outer bark and stand proud and naked in the centre of our town. Gum trees in general will be sadly missed.
  
  2. Strange Wild Life
  
  The sounds of a parrot chorus between 6 and 7 every evening on the Leederville strip. I would hear it everyday when I worked at Wild Lily Empire on Oxford Street, and now it reminds me of my desire to be a published author which seeps through my early time here, as yet unrealized.
  
  The excitement of seeing Kangaroos running wild in Margaret River. So exciting, my sister and I did our own show:
  
  Holding a Koala – probably the happiest I have ever been.
  
  3. Day Glo
  
  You can’t go anywhere in Perth without being blinded by fluorescent work shirts. Safety first in WA, always.
  
  4.   The BEACH
  
  Obvious, but I still can’t get used to the fact that it’s a fifteen minute drive away. In England, beaches like this are for the one holiday a year.
  
  5.   BBQs and Over-preparation
  
  The first time we went to a BBQ in King’s Park, we went empty handed. We were greeted by our friends, who all seemed to have brought their entire houses. Food, chairs, tables, toys, rugs, cakes, beer. They had settled in for the day. I also love camping here for this reason.
  
  6.   The light
  
  The Australian light is magical. Everything seems to be cast in a sharper relief, and looks more beautiful. The fade into evening is my favourite time of the day. I’ll definitely miss this in the smog of Jakarta.
  
  7. Oversize Vehicles
  
  
  
  The bigger the vehicle, the bigger the man. Enough said.
  
  8.   Rivers Adverts
  
  Buy this! NOW! One day only! NOW! Your local store may have lots or none!
  
  9.   WA News
  
  Wonderfully WA centred. We have had previous top news stories including a cat woman who wouldn’t vacate her property, a traffic jam, and food labeling issues.
  
  10. Beautiful People
  
  I asked my fiancé if he had anything to contribute to this list. Sexy ladies was his response. Worrying.
  
  Going to bars around Perth does sometimes feel like walking onto a film set. Toned, tanned bodies, with glossy blonde hair. Male and female. Going to bars in London feels like walking onto a film set too. For a Carry On Film.
  
  On a more soppy note, I will also miss the 'beautiful people' who have become my friends here: if you ever want to visit Jakarta, you all have a place to stay!
  
  Just to even the balance, here are some things I won’t miss:
  
  1. Hot Sand
  2. Sweat
  3. Flies
  4.   Dust
  5. Bad Service
  6. Motorway Merging
  7. Hail the size of golf balls
  
  What do you love about living in WA? And not so much? Tell me in the comments below!
- How To End A Book
  
  May 02, 13
  
  At the request of readers, I discuss the ending of How To Be A Good Wife, and offer you the chance to give Hector his comeuppance...
  
  (Spoilers alert!)
  
  How To Be A Good Wifehas now been out in the world for four months. Reading the reviews and listening to people talk about the book has been so wonderful. Every time I've done an event, either in Australia or the UK, people have had such interesting questions about the book. I wanted to thank anyone who came to those events (or the upcoming ones), wrote a review, or shown support for the book. I spent 3 years in a room with Marta, unable to discuss her with anyone apart from my agent and editor, so talking about her is such a delight. I still have to remind myself that she is someone I made up: it's hard to imagine she's not out there somewhere, baking bread or cleaning her doll collection!
  
  I think the most commonly asked questions refer to the ending of the novel. Some people want to know what really happened. Who is right: Marta or Hector?
  
  The openness of the ending was very important to me, and it was something I fought to keep during the editing process. Ultimately, I wanted the book to raise more questions than it answered. I wanted the book to linger in the mind, for Marta’s situation to resonate. I wanted the reader to think about the domestic role of women in the past (and sometimes present) and whether it is good for a woman’s psychology.
  
  It is up to the reader to make the decision about Marta's state of mind: whether these things she sees really happened to her, or whether she is suffering from a mental illness. I wanted the reader to experience the difficulties the psychologists struggle with in diagnosing her. To say either way what actually happened to Marta weakened the overall premise of the book for me, and answered a lot of the questions I wanted to raise in the reader's minds. If I had said definitively whether Hector had done these terrible things, I would have lost this ambiguity, and for me, that is where the power of the book lies. Marta herself is not even certain: and this for me speaks of the powers of the human mind to cope with certain situations, and raises the question of whether we ever really know ourselves.
  
  But What Do YOU think?
  
  People often ask me who I believe. Honestly, I change my mind about this, and I like that the reader has the space to do that. But, I did a lot of research into Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome and Dissociative Identity Disorder, and until the final draft of the book, I strongly believed that Marta had suffered a severe trauma which had altered her psychology.
  
  While I was rewriting the final draft, I had a revelation which led to Hector's character being implicated in what has happened to Marta. Previously, he had been the good guy: a husband who had seen her through her difficulties, which had been exacted at the hands of another man. Marta had never told him about her experiences, but she was more aware of them. I read several articles about the repression of memory in severe trauma, and it got me thinking about Marta's awareness of what had happened to her. I also began thinking about Hector, and thought how interesting it would be if I suggested that he was to blame. This is how the current version of How To Be A Good Wife was born, three years into writing it.
  
  Therefore, throughout most of the process of the writing the book, I believed Marta that something terrible had happened to her, even if she was not conscious of it at the beginning of the book. I will always have that basis of belief in her past, and although I like the idea of Hector being innocent, I will always come down more with Marta.
  
  From talking to readers, this is the most common experience for them too. We are in Marta's head, so of course we are more likely to side with her, even when she makes us doubt her reliability.
  
  Alternate Endings
  
  As we headed towards publication, there was a lot of discussion about the end of the book. When I first submitted it, the book ended with Marta left in the initial institution, in a small locked room similar to the one under the house. This ending was too abrupt, and I wanted to find a balance between offering the reader a bit more closure, but not giving too much away about what actually happened.
  
  It was a difficult process: I felt I had put Marta in an impossible position. I felt guilty about that, but every way I turned, it seemed that she wasn’t in control of the situation. I wrote a 'happy' ending where Marta is left in the more comfortable facility: she can walk in the sun, Kylan can visit, and she is away from Hector. But I realised that she was still living her life under the control of someone else. Her place at the facility was being paid for by Hector, and she could not go beyond the grounds. As in the valley, she is trapped in many of the same ways. And the 'memories', or hallucinations, still haunt her.
  
  So I rewrote the ending again: adding Kylan's wedding and the final scene. I see it as Marta’s attempt to take back the control which has been taken away from her so many years before. Whether you believe that these things happened to her, or if she has struggled with mental illness, either way, she has not been in control of what happened to her.
  
  I'm sure many people will disagree with me about the ending, and will want vindication for Marta, or punishment for Hector. But to admit that Hector did these things is also defining Marta's condition. I wanted it to be left ambiguous, for the reader to decide who they believe.
  
  If you are interested in a ‘revenge’-style ending for Marta, or in reading the alternatives I came up with, let me know in the comments below and I’d be happy to publish them on my blog. I’m sure I can come up with a way for Hector to get his comeuppance, if you believe he did anything wrong...
- Writers Ask Writers: My Writing Process
  
  Apr 24, 13
  As I mentioned in this post last week, I am very excited to be starting a new blogging venture with five other Western Australian-based authors. Each month, we will all simultaneously post the answer to a question often asked by readers. After all, six brains are better than one!
  
  This is the first post, which deals with our writing process. I've been fascinated to read the other posts, and you can find links to them at the bottom of this page.
  
  The endless possibilities of beginnings…
  
  Starting a new project is always exciting. It is the moment when anything is possible. The ideas I have for the book have not yet been tried out, and the book exists in my head as a perfect thing. This is it, I think to myself, this will be the best thing I ever do.
  
  What have I got myself into?
  
  The magnitude of possibility can also be terrifying. When I started my new novel, about a British war photographer during the Vietnam War, I set myself quite a few challenges:
  
  Writing as a man
  
  Which, oddly, so far hasn’t proved too difficult. When I’ve had a few drinks, I have been known to quiz nearby men on things like what it feels like to grow a beard. We’ll see how realistic his voice is when I actually let someone read it…
  
  Writing about war
  
  The trigger point for this book wasn’t the war itself, but the idea of war photography as a profession. What kind of person is attracted to this job? How do you juggle being an observer in a horrific situation when your knee-jerk reaction might be to help or flee? Does what you see and the exposure to fear affect your psychology and home life?
  
  The details of war itself, I have little interest in. So I spent a lot of time googling guns, ammo and helicopters: printing out and labelling pictures to remind myself.
  
  Writing about Vietnam
  
  I decided to set the book in Vietnam as it is the only war where censorship of photography and journalism was limited. If you had a press pass, you could basically travel anywhere in the war zone. The editors in New York or London might change your story, but they couldn’t change the photographs. Photography was also instrumental in altering the course of the war: once people saw the photos in the US and overseas, they begin the protests of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
  
  I had never been to Vietnam and knew nothing about the American war there. I also knew nothing about the history and culture. As well as book and internet research, this involved visiting the country for extended periods, and talking to survivors of the war. One of the best things I have ever done.
  
  Writing about photography.
  
  I can take photos: with my digital camera. And even those aren’t very good. In the 1960s, the most common cameras used by war photographers were Leicas or Nikon Fs. Manual cameras, where you set the aperture and shutter speed yourself. I had to learn how to do this. And what these strange words even meant.
  
  First things first…
  
  You are probably thinking I must be crazy to make things so difficult for myself. That's what I'm thinking, having just written down what I started with. But this is what I love about writing: the challenge of imagining I am someone else, who has had wildly different experiences. Can I do it? I guess we’ll see.
  
  When I began the project a year ago, I took a deep breath, and before I wrote a word, I looked at each aspect I knew nothing about, and I worked on educating myself.
  
  I bought a camera and got my friend to teach me to use it. I went to Vietnam. Twice. I read a trillion books, fiction and non-fiction, some of which are shown above. Memoirs of soldiers and journalists, Vietnamese literature and sociology, books on photography, about the war. Anything and everything I could get my hands on. I watched every Vietnam film. I ‘researched’ the 1960s by watching Mad Men, James Bond, and anything set in London. I printed out photos and pinned them on noticeboards.
  
  But you’re a WRITER…when did you write?
  
  I only began writing when I had that moment, that strange feeling: I’m ready. It was only after I had done enough research on a particular area that I felt ready. And even then, when I sat down at my computer, I was terrified. What if what came out wasn’t good enough? I had to quiet down that critical voice (for now!) and remind myself that I was doing this for me, and that I love it.
  
  After a year of researching and writing chunks in alternating stages, I now have a rough first draft. Carried-around-in-the-dog's-mouth scrappy. But at least it's a real thing, on paper: evidence of thinking and reading and watching and mulling.
  
  If you think writing is all there is, think again…
  
  Now that I have a skeleton, I am beginning the editing process. That critical voice which tried to shout out at every turn of the writing process? Now’s the time when I stop ignoring it and listen. I imagine I am looking at the book through the eyes of someone I admire: a favourite writer or my agent, and ask myself what they would say about each scene, each sentence. I look at the structure and play around with when to relay what information to the reader.
  
  What is this scene trying to achieve? How could that sentence be better? I look out for repetition (which my short memory lets in), clichés, overuse of adjectives and adverbs. I strip the book down to what needs to be there, not what I needed to write to imagine it.
  
  Fly my pretties! Fly!
  
  Whilst writing, the book belongs to me and me alone. Once I have meticulously edited it, I will release it into the world. By which I mean send it to my agent, not publish it. Letting even one other person see it, even someone I trust, is a scary moment. When I did it with How To Be A Good Wife, I remember going to King's Park and lying on the grass, reminding myself over and over that this was just the beginning, and that I needed help for the next stage.
  
  I know I am ready for this stage when I can't stand to be in the same room as the book anymore.
  
  Agents and Editors Are Like Book Whisperers
  
  Sending the book to someone you trust, who knows their stuff, is very important. When you can't think of anything else to do with the book, except for maybe burn it, you need their help. An outside influence can work wonders: they ask the right questions and put you back on the right track.
  
  For How To Be A Good Wife, we did two and a half huge edits over two years. After a month or two, I receive pages of notes and line edits on every word, and then I get back to work. I’m hoping the process will be quicker this time after the experience of my last book, but I’m not expecting it to be.
  
  And then, once we had gone to publishers, I did another huge edit with my editor there. Again, having a new pair of eyes on the book was amazing. Without both my editor and my agent How To Be A Good Wife would not be the book it is today.
  
  My tips for writing a novel:
  You have to be in it for the long haul. The average book takes three years to write. I thought I would be able to do it faster. I was wrong.
  Keep faith. The hardest thing about writing is keeping going when it seems you are at it alone, or that nothing will ever come of it.
  Turn off the pressure. I put myself under a lot of pressure trying to get How To Be A Good Wife finished. As I was working full time, I had to fit it in before and after work, and that meant I had to be disciplined. This was important, but don’t drive yourself crazy. As my fiancé once reminded me, you are not a tap. Sometimes you can’t force it.
  Remember, always, that it is worth it in the end. Every moment of doubt I had while writing How To Be A Good Wife, every day when I thought it would come to nothing, when I had to wade back in for another edit even though I thought it was finished: every moment was worth it. Being published is as good as I imagined it would be: and that’s saying something!
  You can check out my website here, or follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
  
  Over to the others for their fascinating posts - from writing long-hand, to binding, to writing blind...
  
  Dawn Barker - 'The best advice I was ever given is, ‘if you want to be a writer, you have to write...’
  
  Amanda Curtin - 'Research is a truly spidery activity: throwing spinnerets far into the breeze, following them as far as they’ll go...'
  
  Sara Foster - 'I have always had ideas in the middle of the night, while sipping coffee at the shops, or on a long journey – those times when my mind has been a little less crowded with the other affairs of the day..."
  
  Natasha Lester - 'I’m usually a chaotic writer. The story unfolds to me the same way it does to a reader, page by page...'
  
  Annabel Smith - 'I wrote longhand, in pencil, on scrap paper, carefully crafting one sentence at a time. I never wrote a second sentence until the first sentence felt right...'
  
  Let me know below if you have any ideas for our next blog post...
- Writers Ask Writers: An Introduction
  
  Apr 24, 13
  
  To get to my new post about my Writing Process, part of this series, click here.
  
  Writing can be a lonely business. As much as I love working from home and not having to brush my hair, I sometimes long to meet other writers who share this rather odd career path. Perth Writers Festival gave me this opportunity. I discovered that not only are there other writers living in Perth, but they are just as keen as I am to meet others.
  
  Post festival, six of us met at Natasha Lester's beautiful house and ate chocolate cake. We decided to start our own blog series, Writers Ask Writers, to answer the questions that readers often ask. The more writers, the more variety in our answers and experiences, and we hope we can give readers a broader view of the industry.
  
  We'll also be running some book giveaways. The first one begins next Monday, and offers a chance to win a copy of every book all six of us have published: 12 in total! Watch this space for more.
  
  So, I believe some introductions are in order...
  (L-R, Dawn Barker, Sara Foster, Amanda Curtin, Natasha Lester, Annabel Smith)
  
  Dawn Barker is the author of the newly published Fractured. She is a Child Psychiatrist who grew up in Scotland, moving to Australia in 2009. The novel deals with post-partum depression and is a riveting and absorbing read.
  
  Amanda Curtin is a writer and book editor. She has written three works of fiction: The Sinkings, Inherited, and most recently Elemental which is released on May 1st. Looking forward to it.
  
  Sara Foster is the author of three novels: Shallow Breath, Beneath the Shadows, and Come Back To Me. Originally from the UK, Sara moved to Perth wit her husband, children and two cats.
  
  Natasha Lester is the award-winning author of What Is Left Over, After and the just-released If I Should Lose You. It's next on my to-be-read pile. She has the most beautiful writing room ever! I will also be running a sold-out course with Natasha on May 18th called Refine Your Manuscript.
  
  Annabel Smith is the author of A New Map of the Universe and Whisky, Charlie, Foxtrot. We did a great event together at the Perth Writers Festival, and I loved Annabel's book.
  
  The first blog post in the Writers Ask Writers series will be published next Wednesday 24th April! The book giveaway goes live via Facebook on Tuesday 30th April.
- Starstruck and Buzzing: Perth Writers' Festival 2013
  
  Feb 26, 13
  
  This weekend, I was a part of Perth Writers Festival - a wonderful relaxed literary celebration in the grounds of the University of Western Australia (UWA). To set the scene, UWA is a cross between the idyllic university campus and the forest of Midsummer Night's Dream. It is the kind of place that made the 1960s buildings at Edinburgh a severe disappointment.
  
  My first session on 'Identity' was held in the aptly named 'Tropical Grove'. I met the lovely Annabel Smith (Whisky Charlie Foxtrot) and Madeleine Thien (Dogs at the Perimeter) and our brilliant chair Angela Meyer in the Green Room half an hour before the session. We'd conversed a little via email, and it was so lovely to meet them in person. Angela was so well prepared and the session went swimmingly: we had a lively discussion covering the identity of our protagonists, and how that shifts throughout our novels. We also talked a little about the identity of the author and how that changes on publication.
  
  After heading to the signing tent, I went off for lunch at Matilda Bay restaurant and had the most delicious cray fish and a glass of Prosecco with my fiancé. The view was amazing and I think it was the happiest I've felt in a long time. I was buzzing to be a part of my first festival, and it was one of those days when everything was perfect.
  
  We returned to UWA for my next slot: a brilliant idea for an event organised by Writing WA called 'A Glass of Wine and A Good Book'. The combination of a wine tasting with discussions with local authors reminded me a little of our pairing of whisky and How To Be A Good Wife on the #indiebookcrawl that I undertook with my editor and agent in the UK. I had a lovely chat with WA Author Julia Lawrinson while people sipped their wine. There were lots of interesting questions from the audience which kept me on my toes!
  
  In the evening, we went to watch Margaret Atwood talk. I can honestly say she was every bit as witty and clever as I thought she would be. My fiancé, who isn't a big reader, really enjoyed the discussion too. I got the sense that when you are in her position, with so much success behind you, you can really say whatever you like, and her honesty was very refreshing and aspirational.
  
  The next day, I had my final session, 'At The Edge of Darkness' with journalist Caroline Overington (Sisters of Mercy) and Dianne Touchell (Creepy and Maud). We were chaired by Jane Cornes, who instantly made me feel relaxed, and kept us all laughing throughout the discussion. It was another great session, with interesting questions: and it was great to hear what the other writers had to say.
  
  After this, I went to see Kevin Powers talk about The Yellow Birds, a book I loved. I really enjoyed his talk, but I was struck by the fact it must be difficult if you have written about such a personal experience, as it seemed much of focus was on discussing his personal experiences in Iraq when his novel is fiction. It must be tricky to keep that distinction separate.
  
  I met many other lovely Western Australian authors, who made me feel much less alone in the most isolated city on earth. I can't wait to read their books: Dr Dawn Barker, whose first novel Fractured is out today (go Dawn!); Amanda Curtin; Lynne Leonhardt (I adored her book 'Finding Jasper', set in SW Western Australia); and Sara Foster. I wish I'd had the chance to meet Natasha Lester and Vikki Wakefield too!
  
  The whole weekend was a wonderful blur of fabulous author events, starstruck moments, beautiful weather and happiness. After the excitements of the past few months, I felt content with what had happened, and so grateful. I hope this is a feeling that never goes away.
- This is my life
  
  Oct 31, 12
  
  There are two months to go until the publication of How To Be A Good Wife, and I wanted to write a post about all the exciting things that have been happening. There will be one day, when I am an old lady with no teeth, that I will want to remember each detail, to run over and over them in my mind like old treasures. If I ever do end up like that, I give permission in writing now to lock me in a room (with a bowl of melted chocolate please): I imagine I will be a bore.
  
  I never quite know what new thing will happen each day: new cover designs, details of publicity events, upcoming magazine features, exciting early reviews, support from family and friends. These are the things I used to imagine when I knew I wanted to be a writer, when I was making my way through draft after draft, and now that they are really happening, it feels wonderful. Surreal, but wonderful. It is as if I am in one of those really long, evocative dreams (involving Ryan Gosling and a mountain of chocolate) and at any moment I will wake up to my mother screaming that I need to go to school.
  
  Because that's the other thing: I keep forgetting that I am an adult. I can make my own decisions about things, and I am the one held accountable. I don't need to ask anyone's permission to spend my own money, though I do still find myself thinking I should ring someone to ask for a second opinion. This is my life, right now, and it is whipping by so fast I feel like I need to grab it by the arms and keep it still for a moment.
  
  I used to wonder when I was slogging through the process of writing the book while working full time, getting up early mornings and working on the weekends, whether it would be worth it someday. And I can say now, with absolute certainty, that it was. Anyone who is at the beginning of this process should know that. I'm sure it won't always be like this, but even if things change, at least I know I have achieved this much, and that is something that can never be taken away. I am aware that I am living what will probably be the most exciting time of my life, and that's why I constantly envisage an older version of myself, with a bird's nest of white hair, mulling over this time and enjoying it again. I just don't want to disappoint that silly old bat by not making the most of every moment.
- City Loving
  
  Oct 31, 12
  
  I just arrived back in Perth after leaving Vietnam last week. I spent three days in Ho Chi Minh City and then headed to Melbourne for a city break and to visit my brother. The contrast between the two cities is vast: Melbourne so clean and structured, with even the old buildings looking new, and HCMC a sprawling lovable mess crammed with 5 million motorbikes. I'm not sure which I preferred, though there is something exhilarating about seeing a city like HCMC with its guts all hanging out, as if it's saying, 'here I am, take me or leave me'.
  
  It got me thinking about the differences in culture and how perhaps they are reflected in these cities. In the Western world, we place a lot of importance on order, on hiding faults and never admitting to them. I know I've been guilty of it too: of putting a positive spin on things, of not admitting to feeling annoyed or having a bad experience, of wanting people to like me. I'm not sure whether it was because of the language barrier that things seemed more open and clear in Vietnam: perhaps there is no room for these bravadoes when language is acquired rather than native. One of my friends in Vietnam, with whom I had had many enlightening conversations on all sorts of taboo subjects, said this to me. When the language is not your mother tongue, it loses some of its power, so it is easier to say things that might be difficult or controversial in your native language. For example, saying I love you is difficult in your own language as it has a lot of meaning, but to say it in a second language strips a lot of meaning away.
  
  Whichever it is, I think there is something to be said for honesty, not only towards others, but also to yourself. If we're feeling bad, we're better to admit it and deal with negative feelings than pretend we're in a good mood. The Vietnamese as a people live in the moment: they don't worry too much about the past or the future, and I think this is a healthy way to be. They also seem to be more emotional, and there is no stigma for men to be in touch with their emotions. It was refreshing, to see men expressing themselves and not holding back, and I wish we could tear down these stereotypes in the west.
  
  Speaking of emotions, it was a lot harder than I thought to say goodbye to the Vietnamese friends I have made over the past two months. It really has been a brilliant experience, and one I want to share with as many people as possible. To avoid bringing up Vietnam in every conversation I have, I have vented this desire into a volunteering scheme which I hope will allow others to go to Kon Tum and those living there to have more access to native English speakers. If you are interested in finding out more about it: please visit the website here: www.vietnamvolunteerteachers.com.
- Can't
  
  Aug 18, 12
  
  I remember a maths lesson at school when I was about 15. The teacher was one I didn't particularly like, and I think she would be as surprised as I am that I often think of something she said to me.
  
  She had explained how to use a particular Maths equation and had left us to do an exercise. I didn't understand the equation. I put my hand up and told her I couldn't do it. She gave me a withering look and told me to try. I said I couldn't try if I didn't understand: it was impossible. She shrugged her shoulders. "You won't know if you can do it unless you try," she said, before walking away.
  
  I remember feeling irritated. She wasn't going to help me, even though I had asked her for help. She was my teacher: that was her job. I couldn't do the question because I didn't understand. I needed her to explain. After a few moments, I realised she wasn't going to help me, so I turned back to the first question. I applied the equation, and step by step, somehow, I got the right answer. Then I was annoyed that she had been proved right.
  
  But this lesson has come back to me many times. Whenever I am faced with something that seems impossible, I try to do it, and often, I surprise myself. This one piece of advice has seen me through some sticky moments in book editing, when I thought I would never write another sentence again. But I tell myself to try, and usually I come unstuck.
  
  I think too many of us are so afraid of failing that we don't even start to try. Often things are not as difficult as they seem, and if we approach them with a cool head, trying to see clearly the way through, we can achieve things we never thought possible. Or better, if we don't think too much, often the solution will appear. If we worry or over think things too early, we will be stopped in our tracks.
  
  My mother has had a Shakespearean quote stuck next to our telephone for as long as I can remember:
  
  "Our doubts are traitors,
  And make us lose the good we oft might win
  By failing to attempt."
  
  In the moment, it is easy to forget this. It is even easier when that calm voice in your head is drowned out by the multitude of other reasons why we shouldn't try to do something. It's too difficult. Wait until your older. Something bad might happen. Usually, these voices are not our own, but come from other people. From things we have heard or been told or read in books. We need to learn to ignore them, and do what we want to do. Whether this is on a small scale such as answering a maths question, or a large scale, such as choosing a career path or running a marathon, we need to drown out those voices with the one that tells us we can do it, whatever it is. Making an effort, a tiny step in the direction of what we want, is the only way I can see to find happiness.
- Drop It Like It's Hot
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  I've never been the biggest one for exercise. My school reports always said something like 'Emma would be good at sport if she put in some effort' or 'Emma doesn't seem to see the point of team games'. I remember once telling my teacher that I would call Childline if she made me run around the track again.
  
  When one of my student's mother's asked me if I fancied joining her for some exercise, of course, I said yes immediately. Mainly because I had used up all my excuses (though saying 'I'm too lazy' is pretty difficult to argue with). One thing I've learnt in Vietnam is that saying yes, even to things you wouldn't normally do, can have surprisingly brilliant results.
  
  On Saturday night, we headed to the studio to do an Aerobics class. I should point out that I have tried Aerobics in both the UK and Australia. The most common result is me sneaking out the back while the others are still grapevining. It is just too embarrassing. Not only do I have next to no coordination or balance (even walking on a level ground has proved troublesome in the past), but I'm always put off by the group of keenos (they're in every class) flaunting the fact that they know the steps better than the instructor. The pitying looks I get floundering around at the back like a snake having a fit are not fun.
  
  When we walked into the class, I felt like we had walked into the 80s. The women were wearing little more than neon swimming costumes. The room was huge, filled with tiny, good looking Vietnamese women looking into big mirrors, and me in my shorts and t-shirt, a head taller than everyone else. I took a deep breath, and told myself not to over think it. It's just aerobics.
  
  After a reassuring smile from my friend, the dance music started up and we were off. And I could (just about) keep up! The moves were a LOT more sexual than Western Aerobics: lots of hip grinding and flexing. In fact, once I got going, I felt like I was in a Beyonce music video (though its doubtful that I looked like that, unless it was the Mr Blobby comic relief special).
  
  None of the women seemed remotely interested in what anyone else was doing, and I relaxed and just went for it. The chances of running into anyone I knew were zero, and the feeling in the room was one of camaraderie: no sly glances at other people to see if they were keeping up/falling apart. And once I let go, it was brilliant! By the end of the class, I was Shakira in my mind, and I was properly worn out.
  
  I loved it so much, we're going back on Tuesday.
- Saying "I Do" in Vietnamese
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  Last weekend, I went to a Vietnamese wedding. It was held at a house in Qui Nhon, a four and a half hour bus journey from Kon Tum on the coast. Travelling by bus in Vietnam is interesting: a little crowded and hot, but a good way to see the country. At one point on our journey, there were 23 people in an 11 seater bus, so as you can imagine, it was a little cramped.
  
  But it was easy to forget the journey when we were sitting on deck chairs on the beach, sipping beer and eating dried fish and squid. There were many Vietnamese holiday-makers in the sea, and a view of beautiful mountains and colourful bobbing boats. After our snack, we went for dinner in a roadside restaurant (more seafood), and then retired to our hotel for an early night.
  
  The next morning, we were at the wedding before it started as my friend was to give advice to the groom's family about the proper etiquette for the bride's arrival. The timing of the arrival is very important in a Vietnamese wedding ceremony as an auspicious time will prove lucky for the future of the couple. Luckily it all went off perfectly, and the guests assembled around low tables in a room headed by two shrines, one to Christianity, and one to the ancestors of the bride and groom. Prayers were said in Vietnamese, and I listened while admiring my orange shoes.
  
  After the prayers, everyone took a seat around several tables set out outside. I was joined by a group of women who were all beautifully dressed in the Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) but spoke no English. There was much nodding and smiling and I repeated the four phrases I can say in Vietnamese many times ('hello', 'thank you', 'it's hot' and 'it's delicious'). Luckily, then a girl who spoke English came and sat next to me, and the rest of the wedding passed in a blur, with much eating and chatting and general merriment. An older Vietnamese woman tried to find me a husband, and when I said I was taken, she started talking about bringing my sister out to Vietnam.
  
  We then took the delightful bus journey back to Kon Tum. Unlike Western weddings, Vietnamese weddings are short and too the point (much like the people!) and I didn't have a chance to get bored or tired. I went home very full and very jolly!
- An Elephant Amongst Mice
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  This weekend, I went to a Vietnamese wedding. I brought no suitable clothes with me, so I needed to go shopping. Armed with a lovely Vietnamese girl, and a male friend as interpreter, we headed to the shops. And three shops down, we still hadn't found anything that fit me. I had gone from my usual shopping style of looking for colours and styles I like, to rifling through the rails looking for anything that looked big. I ended up with a lovely dress (and bright orange shoes!), though because of the size issue, it was a little short.
  
  Asian women are much smaller than Western women. Here, I am a giant: bigger than even the men. Every time I go to sit on one of the small chairs or stools common at restaurants, the Vietnamese teacher gives me a concerned look, and asks me "Should you really sit there Emma?" Okay, so I did break one of his chairs, and fall off my chair at the wedding, but where else am I supposed to sit?!
  
  On the way home from the shops, my friend laughed and said, "You are like an elephant in a shop for mice!"
  
  This brings me to my next point. Vietnamese people are very honest. If they like what you are wearing or how you look, they will tell you. If they don't, they will also tell you, in the guise I think of friendly advice. Comments that would be considered rude in the UK or Australia are commonplace here. Since I have been here, I have been told that my boobs are low and I need a new bra, that I am very tall, that I have lovely skin. I have already given away almost all my sun cream as the women are obsessed with having fair skin and you can't buy sun cream here. I'm not sure if they realise that the reason my skin is pale is because I am a different race to them, or whether they genuinely think I just look after my skin better.
  
  I like the honesty here. You always know where you stand - and when someone gives you a compliment, it means a lot more. Being here, it doesn't seem to make sense to tell people a white lie just to save their feelings - for then, how do we ever know when we are being told the truth?
- Imagining My Village
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  I have started to think about the village which will be the setting for my new novel. The war photographer will not physically spend much time there, but it will be a place that he will remember often in the future. Once he has visited it, his life will never be the same, and he will never forget the things that happen there.
  
  So, it is important to get the terrain and the people straight in my head. The Vietnamese teacher has been taking me out around Kon Tum on his motorbike, and slowly but surely, a sense of the imaginary village is starting to form.
  
  I want it to be surrounded by mountains, deep green, and to have a wide brown meandering river running through it. The village will back onto the river. The land surrounding it will be many shades of green, and there will be rice paddies on the far side of the river bank. It will be remote, and the roads will be little more than orange dirt tracks, surrounded by overgrown green bushes which trespass onto the paths.
  
  The main house of the action will have a wooden frame with natural plaster daubed in between (see below). It will most likely have a thatched roof, not a tiled one like the one in the it picture below.
  
  I am currently writing a short story for a publication Picador will bring out later this year for its 40th Anniversary celebrations. I have been using the short piece to start to draw out the village in my mind, though the story I tell is very different to the one in my new novel. The short piece is about a Vietnamese village where a group of American soldiers are living with the villagers, protecting them from the Viet Cong, and trying to teach the Vietnamese police how to run the village. It is called 'Forty Feet'.
  
  This village is a place I will go back to often while writing the novel, and I am enjoying watching it grow now. I am lucky enough to just step out of the door of the hotel and find inspiration and I know I will long to be able to do this when I am far from here...
- What You Put In Your Mouth
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  Eating in Vietnam is a pleasure. Whether you eat at someone's home or in a restaurant, the food is fresh, healthy and delicious. The woman of the house goes to the market daily, and the fresh fruit and veg is eaten that same day. Many things are eaten raw, while some are fried, and there are always various varieties of fish sauce mixtures and chillies to complement the meal.
  
  Meals are often very hands on, with everyone sharing several communal dishes placed in the centre of the table or on the floor. You can use hands or chopsticks. They wrap things in rice paper, and dip them in fish sauce. Many times my food wraps are made for me, either as a mark of honour or because they don't trust me to do it right - I haven't quite worked it out yet. This communal atmosphere means that eating is a family activity and a way of bonding between people. As I love food, it seems I fit right in.
  
  The table etiquette is also very relaxed. You eat as soon as the meal is on the table, even if all the dishes are not present. You don't wait for everyone else before you start. There is usually a soup which you have first, and then you can pick and choose the other foods as and when you want. There is no pressure to eat everything on the table, and I think because of the shared dishes, you only eat until you are full. Despite eating huge amounts, I have lost weight, as the food is so healthy. I have forgotten what hunger feels like.
  
  Vietnamese people never snack on chocolate or crisps. Their drinks and desserts are very sweet: think creme caramels with coconut sauce, and condensed milk with everything. The other day, I watched a friend mash up an avocado in a glass and add two tablespoons of sugar. He handed it to me, and I was a little dubious. Avocados are savoury! But I tried it, and it was delicious. Soon the whole glass was gone.
  
  The most striking difference between my eating habits and the Vietnamese is the way they think about food. I have a vague idea about eating a balanced diet: carbohydrates, protein, fibre, vegetables etc with each meal, but they know what each food does to your body. So many times, one of the family members has pointed to a type of food and said "That is papaya. It is good if a woman is low on breast milk" or "These duck embryos increase your sex drive". A friend has a great interest in this. He says that this information is from the past, but that he has checked it on the internet and most of the time it is accurate. It makes sense to eat natural things due to their effects on your body, but I just never think past how something tastes.
  
  There is also not so much squeamishness about food: they eat every part of an animal and they enjoy it all. This obviously comes from a time when they needed to eat everything as food was scarce. I never thought I would say this but pig ears are surprisingly delicious - once you forget that they are pigs ears of course!
- "I want an Australian boyfriend..."
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  Today, my Vietnamese friend asked me for some advice. While we were riding on the back of her motorcycle she shouted that she had argued with her boyfriend because she wanted to go and study English in Ho Chi Minh City. He was angry, telling her that if she went away, he would break up with her. It had made her realise she wanted a boyfriend who let her do what she liked. Just like women in Australia and England, she is starting to realise the many options open to women. We want to be free to be independent, but we also want to fall in love.
  
  "I would like a foreign boyfriend," she said. "They are kind and not selfish. My boyfriend is selfish."
  
  I have met her boyfriend. He is a sweet boy, with a gentle smile. At a restaurant the other day, I watched him cut up her food for her. I thought of nightclubs in Australia and England and imagined To going there to look for love.
  
  "Not all Western men are kind," I told her. "Some are grumpy and arrogant."
  
  She looked confused. "I think they are all very nice," she said. "I think I would like a foreign boyfriend."
  
  I tried to explain to her that maybe her boyfriend was just upset because he cared about her and perhaps he would change his mind. I told her he seemed like a nice, caring person.
  
  She was thoughtful.
  
  Then she pointed at my hair. "I think I would like an Australian boyfriend because they have blonde hair and blue eyes," she said.
  
  I laughed. "Well you might have to go overseas for that," I said. I told her to concentrate on learning English and perhaps one day she can come to Australia, which is not too far from Kon Tum. I told her I would help her with her English.
  
  I suppose it is a case of the grass is always greener. It is easy to imagine that in a foreign land, all the men are kind and thoughtful and let their women be independent. It is true that in Vietnam they still have traditional ideas about marriage, with many women staying at home and cooking and cleaning for their husbands. I would understand if To did not want a life of only that. She is very strong-willed and independent, and I think she has the determination to go far. I am excited to see what happens to her, though I feel a little sorry for her boyfriend...
  
  I think Sophie and I will leave feminists all over Kon Tum by the time we leave!
- Fear and Openness
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  Since arriving in Vietnam, I have felt happy and welcomed, mainly due to the kindness of the people I have met here. But underneath that happiness, there is a sense of unease I haven't quite been able to put into words.
  
  It might be that the way we are being treated, as deserving of such hospitality and kindness, seems to undermine the sense that I too am gaining from the experience. Yes, I am here to help, to 'make a difference'. But at the same time, I am learning so much about the Vietnamese culture and people for my book, and I also have that wonderful sense of altruism which I feel has been missing in my life in Australia. I have been offered a wonderful window on a culture by the people who live here and that is priceless. My cynical brain wants to rationalise this kindness away, as if the only way I can understand this purity of kindness is to try to pick it apart. But perhaps they are just kind people. They let us into their lives because they want us there, and there is nothing to stop then. It is so refreshing and humbling.
  
  I have heard this kind of thing spoken about before, but I have never experienced it. Moving to Australia, people were friendly and welcoming, but here, there is no trouble too big. They throw open their homes and their tables, and they are happy to have us there. They don't understand when I ask if they are sure it is okay. They just smile and say 'Make yourself home.'
  
  I have been wondering why Western people seem more reserved in this way. I wonder if it is about fear. That these people who come into our lives may not be good people, may damage us and our families. If everything in our lives stays the same, we will be safe from harm. For a people who have seen much hardship, especially from outsiders, the Vietnamese are amazingly open and it is very admirable. They are able to let go of the past, something we in the West struggle with. Who knows whether deep down the resentment is still there, or if it is misdirected?
  
  Perhaps we are right to fear things which might never happen. But I also think there is something to be said to opening yourself up to let things in, whether they are good or bad. If we only take the good, we will never learn from the bad. And we will not appreciate the good.
- Eating Chicken Heads
  
  Aug 20, 12
  Yesterday I ate:
  
  One chicken head
  One parrot head
  Pig skin
  Pig ear
  Jellyfish
  
  Our friends were happily preparing lettuce wrapped pig's ear and skin and shovelling it into our mouths. It was actually surprisingly delicious, except for the bird brains which were disgusting. They tasted a bit like liver. Apparently, they will make me very intelligent, but the fact I ate bird brains in the first place seems to negate that.
  
  All these new experiences have got me thinking about change. I used to say that I hated change, but now I thrive on it. Coming here, everything is exciting: food tastes better, people are friendly, and I am always smiling. I also keep catching myself singing. It makes me excited about the future, and new adventures like moving to South America which Ben and I plan to do at the beginning of next year. There are lots of exciting things ahead.
  
  And it makes me happy to grab the bull by the horns and crunch a parrot skull between my teeth!
- "Free Time"
  
  Aug 20, 12
  
  One of the most common questions we have been asked since coming here has been:
  
  "Do you have freeeeeee tiiiiiime?"
  
  Sophie and I have started to repeat it even in our sleep, we are asked it so often. There is no time, day or night, which seems to be off limits for meeting students out of class, and we haven't learnt yet how to say no. As a result, we are so tired that yesterday, with a confused expression, one of the students asked, "What iz that black mark under eye?". Sophie had to carefully explain that our bodies were reacting to getting up at five a.m. to keep them all happy.
  
  It is difficult to say no to a group of people who are so kind and welcoming. They are trying to show us their lives: inviting us into their families and providing lavish meals and interesting conversation. We practice English, and hopefully we are helpful. When I have to tell them our schedules are full and their faces fall with incomprehension, it definitely feels bad.
  
  We have only been here a week, and have been astounded by their kindness. Their honesty and openness is refreshing, and they seem such happy people because of it. There is no such thing as 'saving face' in Vietnam.
  
  They have welcomed us into their community and there is nothing that is too much trouble. In return, I want to help them with their English, which is of course the reason why I am here. Yesterday, after class, a beautiful girl from a Bahnar minority village gave Sophie a leaving present: a handwoven jacket and skirt. The traditional dress had taken a week for her to weave. She had estimated Sophie's size, and it fitted perfectly. It was very moving, and we both feel we have done little to deserve such kindness. What we have to do seems so little compared to what is needed. I hope that in the future, there is some way I can continue to help and have been trying to think of ways in which I can achieve this.
  
  So, I write this post to remind myself that when we are asked the question about 'free time', no matter how tired we are, how much difference we can make.
- A New Adventure - Vietnam
  
  Jul 23, 12
  
  My new book is about a war photographer in the Vietnam War. So I have come to Vietnam to live for two months to research the novel and teach English. I am staying in Kon Tum in the Central Highlands, a town definitely off the tourist trail where Western people are still a novelty. Walking down the street here is like being famous: you hear 'hellos' sounding from every direction and even with their limited English, people want to make friends with you.
  
  I visited Kon Tum on a whirlwind research trip around Vietnam in April, when we took a private tour of the battlefields of the area. Our tour guide took us to his brother's house for tea. His brother was an English teacher keen for contact with native English speakers, who took the opportunity to speak with any tourists his brother brought to see him. I asked whether they have many native English speakers coming to teach English, and he laughed and said the last one left twenty years ago. I think I knew then that I would come back and teach, and two months later, I have arrived.
  
  It's hard to describe how welcoming the people have been. We have wanted for nothing, and have been taken out to try every conceivable Vietnamese food. The students are eager, and we are improving our teaching skills on the job. We are useful just by being ourselves: by speaking English so that they can hear the correct pronunciation. When you never hear a language spoken aloud, it is difficult to get right.
  
  When I first stood up in front of the class, I felt my heart beating and my hands shaking: that old feeling of being out of my comfort zone. It was refreshing, and I am excited to learn a new skill. Over the past few months in Australia I have felt a little too comfortable, and it is thrilling to have a sense of newness. Everything here is so different, and I know I have set myself a real challenge in setting part of my book here. I am not sure whether I will be able to achieve it, but I am looking forward to finding out.
- And onto the next
  
  Jul 07, 12
  
  So, since I last wrote, I have been deciding what book two will be about. After putting 'How To Be A Good Wife' to one side, I wondered whether I would find something new to write about. But it really wasn't difficult. I knew I wanted to write about war photography, so I did a few library searches, got a few books out, and began trying to narrow down vague ideas into place and time and character.
  
  A few weeks later, as I was working through the pile of books I had accumulated, my boyfriend called me. He had a few quiet weeks at work, and wondered if I wanted to go away somewhere. "You've been talking about going to Vietnam to research the war," he said, "So let's do it."
  
  And one week later, we were getting on a plane. I had frantically researched as much about the war as I could before the trip, and had planned our route accordingly. It kickstarted me into focussing on one conflict, and my head went into overdriving imagining what it would be like.
  
  We started in Saigon, and after we became acclimatised to the heat, the traffic and the culture shock, I knew the trip was going to be one of our best ever. It was exactly what I needed: a break from my normal life which had started to feel a little too hum drum. Living in Australia has been an excitement from the get go, but after a while, even living abroad begins to feel a bit too normal. I wanted to be out of my comfort zone again, and Vietnam offered that in spades.
  
  So we travelled to the Central Highlands where we took a private tour of the battlefields and met some Vietnamese people. From there, we took a hair-raising bus journey through spectacular mountain scenery to Danang. We spent the night in Hoi An, a beautiful ancient town which seemed like the original for every 'Asian' style area of Disneyland or the Trafford Centre. We spent three nights in Hue, exploring the Imperial Palace and the Perfume River, and then one night in Hanoi.
  
  I wondered several times whether setting my book during the Vietnam War was a little too much of a challenge. Vietnam is so different to England or Australia: would I really be able to imagine what it was like to be live here, especially during war time? But I pushed those thoughts aside. I wanted a challenge, and there was so much about this place that drew me in. I am already thinking about returning...
- Just Keep Going
  
  Jul 08, 12
  
  I just found this amazing video. To me, it summarises what you need to do to succeed at what you are passionate about. It's important to remember that you're never going to be good at something when you first begin. I have learnt this from experience.
  
  When I first moved to Australia, I was working in an art gallery and I met a well known artist. His artwork looked so effortless and inspired that I thought he must be naturally gifted. He told me that when he teaches art, he always shows beginners his early sketches and paintings for one reason: to show people how terrible they were. It said it would be easy for him to pretend that he had always been good at art, but the reality was that he worked really hard for many years to improve. He said that if you work at something 6-7 hours a day, every day you can, you will become good at it.
  
  When I heard him say that, it really gave me hope. I had finished the first draft of my novel at this point, but it wasn't good enough: I felt that gap between what I wanted it to be and what it was. To hear that with enough determination, anyone can get better at things was a real turning point and has affected the way I look at writing and other parts of my life.
- Beginnings
  
  Oct 31, 12
  
  I wanted to write a post about starting my first novel. I remember the day I found Marta's character, but was that the same as the day I first put some cluttered words down on paper? The literal beginning of the original novel ended up being back story which wasn't at all relevant to the final draft. So when talking about beginnings, it is difficult to work out exactly where to start.
  
  The simple answer is that I began writing my novel while I was studying for a Masters in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway in London. I was writing a dark and almost incomprehensible story of a troubled young woman, and I remember one of my friends on the course saying that there seemed to be no reason for her to be so troubled. Where had it all begun?
  
  I happened to see a documentary that same week about Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome. The thing I found most fascinating was how you can repress memories of a traumatic event over many years, only to have them resurface later. I wondered if I could explore this further, and perhaps use it to explain the character I was currently writing.
  
  Then came the first bout of research. When I get stuck, this is where I go first. I turned to scientific papers, books, documentaries, other novels, and anything I could find relevant to my broad topic areas. I read vocariously. I find any research period rather frustrating, as the more reading you do, the less words are going down on the page. And especially as I had a limited time in which to write, that always felt like a failure. But a necessary one, because in order to become unstuck, I needed to find a new way back into the story. I wasn't really stalled: I was propelling myself forward.
  
  And then one day, on a train, I started writing. The first scene of the novel, set in a country kitchen, where the main character is smoking an illicit cigarette, was what came out. Marta was a lot older than the original troubled young woman had been, but she was the same person. I had decided it would be better to first meet the character who had suffered the trauma many years after it had happened. The reader would get the sense there was something strange about her, but the years would have made the experience less raw than it had been at the beginning. That would make it all the more exciting when she started to remember.
  
  This was where the book started, and after that, it was a mattter of keeping going. I still didn't know what the story was going to be: that came much later.
- Setting the Scene
  
  Oct 31, 12
  
  Today is a lazy bank holiday.
  
  I am writing this post from the study in our house in Western Australia. It is an especially hot day: 38 C, and I have retreated here to try and take my mind off the heat. My legs are sticking to the chair, and I require constant sips of cool water. Out of the window, I can see my boyfriend being slowly baked alive as he works on his Land Rover.
  
  I have lived in Perth for two and a half years. My boyfriend is a geologist, and he moved here straight after we finished university for a job. I stayed in London for a further nine months while I completed my Masters, and then I came out for a visit and never really went home. There are so many wonderful things about living here, including the weather, though I do tend to become a yappy monster when I am too warm. Also, the beaches, despite the risk of being eaten or mangled by a shark. And the Australian people, who are very positive and welcoming, immensely proud of their country, and have the best work/life balance I have ever come across. They work to live here, which makes it a pleasant, relaxed environment. I don't think we'll be here forever, as we have new adventures in the pipeline already, but for now, it suits us just fine.
  
  I do most of my writing in this study. It is a pleasant room: light and airy, with a huge desktop computer screen. While I was writing and editing my first novel, I was working full-time, so I would work here in the early mornings before I went to work, and in the evenings sometimes when I returned. I have only recently begun to write full-time, so I'm still ironing out my routine. Currently, I work from around 7.30am until 5 pm, and then I have the evenings off. I'm also in a research phase for my next novel at the moment, and the schedule tends to change then.
  
  So, when I write to you, this is where I will be writing from. As with all writing, I thought it was important to set the scene.
vietnam

vietnam
- My volunteer programme
  
  In July 2012, I visited the beautiful Central Highlands of Vietnam to research my second book, about a war photographer in the Vietnam war.
  
  While there, I volunteered for two months teaching English. On a whirlwind tourist trip in April, I had met a Vietnamese English teacher by chance. He told me that the last native English teacher in the whole of the province had left twenty years ago. So, I came back to teach and research.
  
  Before I left, I decided to set up a volunteer programme to meet this need, and to allow others to have the same life-changing experience as me.
  
  You can read all about my experiences on my blog. Or visit the website for the volunteer programme here.
  
  Vietnam is a very inspirational place: I am happy to mentor any volunteers who write while they are on the programme.
Tweets

Tweets

Profile
- Nothing comes out perfect first time - the masters edit too! Crappy First Drafts of Great Books | Psychology Today http://t.co/8SfmsLe220
  
  May 23, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- RT @Natasha_Lester: Peek into the writing rooms of @AnnabelSmithAUS, @SaraJFoster, @drdawnbarker, @emmajchapman. Writers Ask Writers blog h…
  
  May 23, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- RT @AnnabelSmithAUS: 6 authors on their writing spaces http://t.co/mbV8z5pR2K feat. @emmajchapman @Natasha_Lester @drdawnbarker @SaraJFoster
  
  May 23, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- How To Talk About Books You Haven't Read | Brain Pickings http://t.co/HbWJpIeD1H
  
  May 23, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- This is BEAUTIFUL! Fail Safe: Debbie Millman's Advice on Courage and the Creative Life | Brain Pickings http://t.co/kCmixZbsJz
  
  May 22, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- It's gone live! Part 2 of the Writers Ask Writers Blog Series: this month, we asked each other Where Do You Write? … http://t.co/vo43dYAuZz
  
  May 22, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Heading over the Pennines to Yorkshire today!! Any bookshop recommendations? http://t.co/KyPHugJCVC
  
  May 21, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Wedding dress fitting today...speaking of which, are weddings crazy? - Cause for celebration | Kill Your Darlings http://t.co/WE4UyyJfZr
  
  May 21, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Liverpool wandering http://t.co/kfWQw41K4J
  
  May 20, 13 from Photos on iOS Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- UK Weather: If you could act like it is Spring for even a small portion of the two weeks I'm visiting, I would be so grateful.
  
  May 20, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @rusdave Looking forward to it!
  
  May 20, 13 from web in reply to rusdave Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @rusdave Thanks Dave: it's not our wedding this time but a friend's!
  
  May 20, 13 from web in reply to rusdave Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @afloatingmarket thanks Matt! Hope all's well.
  
  May 20, 13 from web in reply to afloatingmarket Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- I arrived safely in the UK last night after 23 hours in transit! Off to Liverpool today: any tips for things to do or bookshops to visit?
  
  May 20, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Fascinating! @samanthajday - do you think Alec would give me a pig?! - Why I asked for a dowry http://t.co/BchVxelgKW
  
  May 19, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- On my way to the UK! So excited to be in transit. Not looking forward to the jet lag!
  
  May 19, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- At the airport waiting to check in for my flight to the UK. Enjoying the Eurovision updates!
  
  May 18, 13 from Twitter for iPhone Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- What a great day workshopping work-in-progresses with 5 aspiring writers and @Natasha_Lester! Thanks for coming - hope you enjoyed the cake!
  
  May 18, 13 from Twitter for iPhone Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Getting excited about heading back to the UK tomorrow now!! And meeting the fiance in Dubai airport after 4 weeks apart.
  
  May 18, 13 from Buffer Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @Ashling574 @natashalester Me too!
  
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events

events
- May
  
  Saturday 18th May - 09:00 - 17:00
  
  Refine Your Manuscript: A Mentoring and Writing Improvement Course
  SOLD OUT
  
  I'm thrilled to announce an intensive novel-writing workshop I will be running with award-winning WA author Natasha Lester for anyone who wants some TLC for their work-in-progress.
  
  I know how hard it can be to get direct feedback on your work without paying exorbitant fees for a time-consuming MA or PhD: we wanted to offer the advantages of both in a one day intensive workshop and mentoring programme. Click here for the brochure.
  
  Tuesday 28th May
  
  7.00 - 9.00pm, Girly Book Club Event
  The Folly Bar, London
  
  June
  
  Wednesday 5th June
  
  Event at The Grove Library in Peppermint Grove, WA
  
  Monday 17th June
  
  Event at Subiaco Library, Subiaco, WA
  
  Noosa Long Weekend Festival (14th-24th June)
  Saturday 23rd June, 2.00pm
  
  In Conversation With Emma Chapman
  
  Past Events
  
  February
  
  Perth Writers' Festival - Perth, Western Australia
  
  I am very excited to be attending the writers' festival I have been a spectator at for the last three years. Here are my sessions:
  
  Saturday 23rd February
  Identity
  9.30-10.30am, Tropical Grove, Free
  
  Emma Chapman's unsettling new novel is a vivid examination of a woman trying to find herself as her life unravels; Annabel Smith explores the complexity of a relationship between two brothers; while Madeleine Thien observes the power of memory and trauma on a life. They talk to Angela Meyer about identity when life as we know it changes.
  Glass of Wine and A Good Book, WritingWA
  4.15 - 5.15 - Emma Chapman in conversation with Susan Midalia (Juliet Tent, Free)
  
  Indulge in an afternoon with two of life's greatest pleasures - fine wine and great writing. Sample Western Australian wines and listen to Western Australian authors talk about their work.
  Sunday 24th February
  At The Edge of Darkness
  12.30 - 1.30pm, Woolnough Lecture Theatre, Free
  
  The new novels by Emma Chapman, Caroline Overington and Diane Touchell explore dark subject matter with a light touch. They talk about their gripping new books.

contact

But What Do YOU think?

Alternate Endings

My tips for writing a novel: