[http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,6000,1426072,00.html

Interesting article methinks

Hi JA, that's extremely interesting, thank you. I certainly relate to the concern that people will think my central character is 100% me (bits of her are, bits of her aren't, in common with some of my other characters). Also, I thought the description of unpublished authors as asylum seekers was really spot on.

Adele.

Doesn't the item about the geezer who went to school with Lee Brackstone (editor at Faber) make you ... not despair, but sigh resignedly?

Still, he was at pains to point out it was a comprehensive, so that's all right then! Looks like networking is still a good part of how it's done. (No rancour on my part, I assure you.)

Chiz, Joe

Joe, I think it's just human nature to support members of your "tribe" over outsiders. I'm went to a comprehensive, so could probably use nepotism to get a job on the checkout at Morrisons.

Adele.


<Added>

I'm went??? No wonder I haven't been published!

Adele - of course you're right. It would be odd if life was otherwise. As I said, I feel no rancour, and it's not as if they were Oppidans at Eton, served together in the Coldstream Guards, and joined Boodles at the same time - with the neophyte writer initiating the editor into his Freemasons' Lodge, while Mr B screwed his sister. But I can't keep from sighing sometimes.

Joe