Annalisa Crawford is here to discuss her latest release.
Don't you just love that cover?
you. i. us.
you. i. us. is a collection of vignettes, small
scenes which hint at the story beneath.
Annalisa has taken that idea to another level,
because she asked 15 bloggers to ask her one question each, creating small
insights into her life and writing.
To that end: I asked Annalisa,
What scene in your writing has made you laugh the
hardest or cry the most?
Thanks for inviting me over, Yolanda.
There will be no names in this answer, because it’s
a huge spoiler, but a great example. If you’ve read my books, you’ll know the story
I’m referencing…
I killed a character. I loved him. He was a
combination of two huge crushes I had when I was growing up, plus a little bit
of extra awesome. I could see he was going to die from a mile off, and tried so
hard to veer the story a different way.
I kept writing, hoping the story would come to a
happy conclusion, but each time I was thwarted. I thought I’d finally done it,
but another character snuck up and did the deed. And, so, yes I shed a tear or
two as I wrote it, and as I read it a couple of years later too.
Incidentally, Omelette—a story from That
Sadie Thing—is the story that has made the most readers cry.
Thanks, Annalisa, I look forward to reading You. I. Us.
you. i. us.
In you. i. us., Annalisa Crawford captures
everyday people during poignant defining moments in their lives: An
artist puts his heart into his latest sketch, an elderly couple endures
scrutiny by a fellow diner, an ex-student attempts to make amends with a girl she
bullied at school, a teenager holds vigil at his friend’s hospital bedside,
long distance lovers promise complete devotion, a broken-hearted widow stares
into the sea from the edge of a cliff where her husband died, a grieving son
contacts the only person he can rely on in a moment of crisis, a group of
middle-aged friends inspire each other to live remarkable lives.
Day after day, we make the same choices. But after
reading you. i. us., you’ll ask yourself, “What if we didn’t?”
Publication date: June 10, 2016
Genre: Short Stories (Single Author)
~~~~~
Annalisa Crawford lives in
Cornwall UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired.
She lives with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat. Annalisa writes dark
contemporary, character-driven stories. She has been winning competitions and
publishing short stories in small press journals for many years, and is the
author of Cat & The Dreamer and Our Beautiful Child.
Reader's is there a question you'd like to ask or be asked?
Pretend you've just met Annalisa,
what would you like to know?
30 comments:
Wow, great, great cover. Best of sales to you.
I had to kill a character. I didn't cry about it, but I made a lot of readers cry.
There are several scenes that I've written that still cause me to cry when I read them, but I've no idea if they affect the reader that way. It's an interesting question. I'm sure for the comedian though, it's a bit more important that the reader laugh at the right parts. Still, just knowing you've reached said reader is a bonus.
Thanks for coming by and answering the question! Have an absolute fabulous Monday!
Hi Yolanda and Annalisa - it's interesting our reactions to stories, and sometimes depends on what's going on around us ... I've been practical recently - and can't be stopped and distracted - comes of moving I guess ... but I must finish That Sadie Thing - when I'm unpacked ... and in - that comes first!! ... Cheers to you both - and good luck with YouIUs - Hilary
There's a scene in every book of my series that makes me cry when I read it.
If a scene makes you cry, it's a good scene. If characters make you cry, even better. I wish you happy trails and happy sales, Annalisa! Thanks for hosting, Yolanda! (Yep. I'm still alive. Just got back from Townsville and opened the laptop, lol!)
Okay, I'll admit it. Me Before You made me tear up. With my own writing, I had a scene where a mother is reunited with her young daughter after her child was kidnapped. That made me teary as well.
Thanks for asking, and hosting me today Yolanda - let's make the internet cry ;-)
Thank you :-)
It's probably better that way, Alex - when you cry yourself, it makes the keys all wet!
I definitely think readers use their own experiences to enhance the reading experience. And writing short stories makes that even more pronounced - with fewer words there's more room for interpretation.
They are hard to write, but worth it :-)
The basic emotions are the more important!
I haven't read that one. Anything with child is bound to make me well up.
I read The Lovely Bones when I was pregnant, years ago, and struggled to get past the first chapter because I was crying so much. I tried several time, but read it with no problem after I'd had my baby.
If you can enact a response such is crying it is a grand scene indeed. I've killed a few but most deserved it haha
good question and answer. At least you felt remorse as the poor fellow died. I get choked up a bit if I'm writing a memoir piece involving my mother, and much of that is humorous. However, for me it touches a nerve. I doubt the reader sees that.
I've killed my fair share of deserving characters! (I was going to write 'people' there, but changed it... just in case :-))
Your readers might not see the nerve, but they'll definitely feel the emotion behind it, Joanne.
I cried when I wrote the ending on my latest novel. I haven't killed any of my characters off, but then, I write mostly middle grade and about magic and wonder and hope.
Yes. I do love that cover. I like the concept behind to book too.
This book sounds like it touches on a lot of emotions involved with interpersonal relationships. In other words, it sounds terrific!
I've made myself cry while writing, too, and am always pleased when the same scene elicits the same reaction when reading it later. Then I know my tears were brought on by raw emotion, and not due to crappy writing. :)
If a writer can make me cry, I'm all theirs!
It's probably good that you don't go killing off your characters, in that case :-)
Lol, yes there's definitely a distinction between making yourself cry and the reader cry - when they merge, it's perfect :-)
I hate that moment just before you cry when you're eyes are stinging but you're still trying to read!
Aww, now I've got a tear in my eye thinking of this story. You have so many that are so touching!
Hi, Yolanda! :)
Thank you :-)
Thanks Julie :-)
UGH! I've done the same. It hurts. Oh how it hurts.
It really does - and then you think back and wonder if there's something you could have done to prevent it...
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