YOU. I. US.

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)

Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Book Depository // Kobo // iBooks // Nook

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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?

EMBRACING REJECTION

Annalisa Crawford just placed 3rd in the 2015 Costa Short Story Contest and she's here today to discuss every author's nemesis - rejection!

Congratulations Annalisa!

A new look at rejection

by 

Annalisa Crawford

I have read many blog posts and articles over the years about how to handle rejection. But I'm not sure handling rejection is the way to go... I think embracing rejection is a much better way to approach your writing.

It's been long established that, in writing terms, I am very, very old. I have been submitting short stories and novels since before the internet, before email. Yes, folks, I had to snail mail each and every one - kissing the envelope before posting!

And, therefore, I have received many, many rejections. And survived.

Not just survived, I thrived.

I was very lucky. Early on, I found a small monthly competition that I entered regularly. It was run by one guy called Keith, who always commented on why he liked my story and why it hadn't won. In fact, over time, we struck up quite a correspondence. This is one of the letters he sent...

... and as a young writer, having someone telling me the truth, focusing his thoughts solely on me for two typewritten pages, and being so encouraging at the same time was tremendously helpful.

(A complete aside: in the letter, Keith mentioned several other writers who were also entering his competition regularly - I search them, and one had been quite a prolific childrens/YA author. So, you never know who you are pitting yourself against!)

Here's what rejection can do for you:

· It allows you to look at your manuscript with objective eyes. After all, if someone doesn't like it, it can't be perfect, can it? And, to be honest, you don't ever want to think your work is perfect, because you'll get complacent.

· The editors/judges aren't rejecting you - they don't know you. They just didn't like those words you put on the page, in that order. Because the next story you send, they might love.

· It's not you, it's them. That story rejected today - when the editor had a miserable journey to work, and spilled his coffee over his desk, and was thinking about his sick uncle - might have been accepted the following day, when the sun was shining and his uncle was better. You can't do anything about any of that!

· It makes you stronger, it makes you fearless, it makes you a writer (all the best ones have been rejected).

I, personally, think every writer needs to put themselves in a position where they could be rejected - a competition, a literary magazine submission - and expect to fail. Now, instead of feeling down about it, instead of needing ice-cream and a friendly shoulder to cry on, I simply read the story, makes changes (or not) and send it out again. No drama!

  

Do you allow yourself to be rejected?

What has been your worst? And your best?

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.

She writes dark contemporary, character-driven stories, and has been winning competitions and publishing short stories in small press journals for many years. She recently won 3rd Place in the Costa Short Story Award 2015.

www.annalisacrawford.com

Books by Annalisa Crawford

Thank you, Annalisa.

Great food for thought and discussion!

Has rejection made you stronger?