…there’s seldom anything more invigorating than the enthusiasm of a ‘newbie author’… especially when she has recently experienced the buzz of ‘breaking through’ to climb the Great God Amazon’s rankings… meet my pal , m’Lady, Jessica Norrie, whose debut offering, THE INFINITY POOL, has caused a splash or three in its own right:
JESSICA NORRIE
I wrote THE INFINITY POOL between 2008- 2012, inspired by the setting of a holiday I took, but the characters are entirely fictional. There’s an element of whodunit and howdunit to keep the reader interested, but it’s more of an exploration of psychology, of the decisions people make and what happens as a result, of older men and younger women, and of the clash of a traditional culture with an apparently much freer one. Are the second group of people really any freer than the first, though?
The setting is really important, because I felt as though I was there when I was writing it – and that meant I had a really long, sunny, basking holiday, even though I was actually in my study all the time.
I hadn’t intended a sequel, but several readers have asked for one, with varying ideas about which character (s) to propel forwards. I’m not sure yet, but I do know it will take place in the UK, in a nice place because otherwise I wouldn’t want to spend time there, but even so a place with tensions and conflicts just as in the Infinity Pool, because it’s those tensions and conflicts that I’m most interested to explore.
I’ve been amazed and humbled by the generosity of people I’ve never met, and those I know only slightly, as well as friends and family, in welcoming this book and making it such a success – even number 1 in Australian Literary Fiction for several days! It was sitting between Rachel Joyce and Steig Larsson in UK Literary fiction, last time I looked; and it overtook Harper Lee and even shunted the Girl on the Train off the Australian tracks, albeit briefly until normal service resumed.
So thank you to everyone for your interest, I’ve loved the discussion so far.
Links:
– paperback http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1514868571/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item_image
also available in US at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Infinity-Pool-Jessica-Norrie-ebook/dp/B011RA8QZW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8
and in Australia at http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B011RA8QZW?ref_=pd_ybh_1
A wee bit about Jessica
Jessica’s a French Literature graduate of Sussex University, postgrad in Dijon and Sheffield,who lives in London, and has two adult “children”; she has been a teacher/translator most of her working life… she wrote a novel on and off over years 2008-13 and to her surprise, momentum took over and she finished it. An agent was acquired pretty soon afterward, but the standard reaction most authors experience resulted in mainstream publishers rejecting it as ‘well written’ but variously either ‘too lowbrow’ or ‘too highbrow’ for their target markets, but it’s doing well on Amazon. Her next novel may be something to do with construction as she’s had the builders in her house for a year, so having not beaten them, she’ll join them. It may also feature a familiar character or two from the Pool…
Twitter: @jessica_norrie
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jessica-Norrie-1617940365158063/timeline/?ref=hl
…so, there yeez have it, Lads and Lassies of Blog Land… go dip yer toes in the water yerselves… see yeez later… LUV YEEZ!…
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Seumas, you are a DOLL to let us know about Jessica and her new book. (This is an American expression, and one that a friend of mine uses frequently to those who are good, kind, and caring…). Jessica, your muse sounds fascinating. I look forward to reading The Infinity Pool.
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..hi, m’Lady, Pamela …my pleasure… we’re all one scribblers’ family… cheeers 😉
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Thank you so much! And thank you too for the guide to the word “DOLL” which I shall use in that sense from now on. Do hope you enjoy the book, and let me know your thoughts when you have the chance.
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🙂
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To repeat a comment I put on another new author’s blog yesterday, I am always happy to hear of the success of others. Congratulations to Jessica and I must look into her book (ahem). I have a good way to go to catch her up, or even see her tail but you just never know! 🙂
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…you‘re doing just grand, m’Lady, Jeanette… seeing your name presence frequently across the SOSYAL NETWURKS… go, Lady, go! …cheeeers 🙂
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You certainly never do know! I had no idea I’d be so successful, started by doing the hard sell to supportive friends and it went on from there. i was published under an Amazon programme called “White Glove”; I don’t know if that helped. I wish you luck!
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Nice to hear about Jessica. I also studied at Sussex and live near Sheffield. 🙂
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..it’s a small village, this, y’know , m’Lady, Olga:)
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Sussex, Sheffield, Barcelona – lugares muy inspiradores por autores. Always good to hear about links that connect us – thank you.
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Good on you promoting friends! Look at you.
By the way, you’ve been chosen as one of today’s nine blogs in That’s So Jacob’s Ninth Month Blog Challenge (http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com)! I challenge you to find nine blogs you find interesting and give them a comment to brighten their day…well, eight other blogs and mine 🙂 Copy this message in your comment and enjoy your new blog friends!
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Congratulations, Jessica. I hope your new book has the same success. That’s just wonderful. Thanks, Seumas for introducing us to Jessica. 🙂
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mwaah :):)
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Many thanks Suzanne. I hope you enjoy the book!
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Pingback: Books for the bloggers in my life – jessicanorrie
I’m deeply honoured to be a virtual recipient, m’Lady… may I ask for the slightest amendment re my surname to ‘Gallacher’… the Scottish version of it! ..mwaaah 🙂
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