Roger Morris is one of the first time novelists to be published under the Macmillan New Writing imprint
“dedicated solely to publishing authors’ first novels which have been submitted to Macmillan in the UK, usually direct rather than through an agent”.
Even before the first book has been launched, the imprint has attracted criticism for the terms offered to new authors; no advances are offered and without that investment, some say, the publisher will have little incentive to market the book. Others are more supportive - suggesting it will create a level playing field.
I asked Roger a few questions about his book, the publisher and his idea to get more people reading.
What is “Taking Comfort” about?
It’s about this guy, Rob Saunders, who witnesses a series of tragic or disturbing events and feels compelled to take something from each incident. These souvenirs come to have a kind of talismanic power for him. He feels that they protect him from similar bad things happening to him. His behaviour becomes increasingly odd as his need to acquire these objects takes him over. At the same time, his girlfriend is keen to have a baby but he is edging towards an uneasy affair with a woman he works with.
Where did the idea come from?
Well, I saw a number of bad things happen!
One was an armed robbery which took place in broad daylight right in front of me. There was a guy waving a handgun around and he wrestled a Securicor guard to the floor on the pavement in front of me.
I also saw a young student trying to throw herself in front of a tube train. In that instance, she was prevented by one of the London Underground platform guards. In the novel, I imagine what would have happened if the guard had been distracted at a crucial moment.
Seeing these and similar events gave me a feeling of chaos only just kept at bay; and, if you like, constantly threatening to break through. I was interested in exploring the strategies through which we attempt to keep control and to protect ourselves.
I suppose in former days it might have been through religion, or even magic before that. Now it’s through the consolations of consumerism. And I felt that the objects and brands we desire do have an almost magical power for us.
You use local settings and the idea is rooted in your own experience. Did you do much research?
There was a certain amount of research. Mainly to do with finding the appropriate items of consumerism for each character. That’s one of the ways I try to access character. Not just items of consumerism, actually, but material objects that are special or important to each character. For instance, there’s a policeman who wears a particular item of body armour and Rob’s girlfriend has her own favourite brand of briefs. These were all things I had to find out about.
You originally wrote it as a screenplay. Was the transition from screenplay to novel difficult?
The screenplay was more of an exercise, rather than ever being intended to be the end product. But it helped me work out a number of important things.
I was able to get the story right, for one thing. I worked out what needed to go where. In that sense it was like a first draft.
But I also realised that there was something important missing, that I could only provide by writing a novel. So it wasn’t difficult from that point on because a lot of things became clear in my mind. I somehow was able to work out what I needed to do with it.
The main thing was adding the sections of advertising or marketing copy about the objects that mean something to each of the characters. That now seems like such an important part of the book, the backbone almost, as it provides the structure. But it wasn’t in the screenplay I wrote.
What did you do when you found out it was going to be published?
I found out via an email from Mike Barnard of Macmillan New Writing.
When I started reading the email I was convinced it was going to be one of those rejections that start off telling you how much they love your book but unfortunately, because of this reason or that, they are unable to publish it at this time.
So when I read the bit saying he wanted to publish it and that he looked forward to adding it to the MNW list, I wasn’t really able to take it in. I printed it off and showed it to Rachel, my wife. She started whooping and doing the whole air punching thing, so I thought maybe it did mean what I thought it meant. I can’t remember much besides that. I’m sure I had a drink, or two.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on something historical. I do have these two strands to my writing: the first contemporary and even, I’m told, experimental, which Taking Comfort falls into; and the second, historical. I love the idea of losing myself in research. That’s what I’m doing at the moment.
What is the Macmillan New Writing imprint?
I’ve been working away at my writing for years and years and years.
I had actually reached the point, just before hearing from Macmillan, where I thought it was never going to happen for me, in terms of breaking through into print. In many ways it was a last throw of the dice, or it felt like it at the time.
I’m incredibly grateful to Macmillan New Writing - I think the scheme is a wholly positive one, from my point of view. I know it has attracted a certain amount of criticism and controversy, but part of that has been through willful misunderstanding, I think. I don’t know whether the book will be a success or not. I hope it is, obviously, for myself (I’m only human) but also for the imprint, because the success of the first books will help to establish the imprint for future writers.
Can you tell us something about RANAM (Read A New Author Month)?
Read A New Author Month is an idea I had that was inspired by National Novel Writing Month.
I thought that if people could write a novel in a month, it wasn’t too much to ask them to read one in a month!
And I wanted the focus to be on new writers - first time novelists or short story writers - because I think it’s the case that often they don’t get the marketing spend that the big names do. This would be a way of helping to bring some great books to the public’s attention.
I thought at first I might have it in April, which would of course be very handy for me as that’s when Taking Comfort comes out. But it’s going to take me a bit longer to get things in place.
Watch this space!
Taking Comfort is due out in April. Visit Roger’s website to find out more.
