I've just finished writing my new book!
By Paige Toon - November 24, 2011
More Posts by Paige Toon
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November 23, 2011
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July 14, 2010
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July 27, 2009
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June 3, 2009
I’ve just sent my new book off to my editor and I’m feeling slightly bittersweet. It’s hard to let go of this one, but as my editor just return-emailed me to say, ‘it’s in safe hands’, and I know that she’s right.
I have loved writing One Perfect Summer – it’s my favourite book that I’ve written so far.
This year has been hectic – my husband and I bought and sold a house and this summer we moved to Cambridge with two small children in tow. Normally my deadline is the end of the year, but we’re bringing my usual July publication date forward to May, so I needed to deliver almost two months early. I don’t know how, but I ended up writing even more words than I normally would. Like I say, I have loved writing this book.
One Perfect Summer is set mainly in the UK – primarily Dorset and Cambridge, with small side trips to London, Germany and Austria. I enjoyed writing about Dorset – we went there this summer on a research trip – and I adored writing about Cambridge, which, together with Dorset, is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.
I came for a day trip to Cambridge in summer 2010 and at the time said to my husband that this is a city where I could live. A year later the dream became a reality and every day now I look around with wonder. I’ve found this city so inspirational to write about. Whenever I research a place for one of my books, I put myself in my characters’ shoes and a little part of me feels like that place becomes home. In the case of Cambridge, it actually is my home now, and it feels surreal walking around and imagining my characters lives here. They feel very tangible to me.
I found myself in a unique situation with this book in that, for the first time ever, I didn’t know how it was going to end. I have always known how my books would pan out from start to finish, but as I approached the last twenty thousand words, I began to doubt the ending I had in my mind. Even in the last few pages, I still didn’t know the path my characters would take. It was truly bizarre to find myself in their hands, in a funny way. I cried when it was finished – but you’ll have to wait until May to find out if those tears were happy or sad. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think these characters may have more life in them yet…
I have loved writing One Perfect Summer – it’s my favourite book that I’ve written so far.
This year has been hectic – my husband and I bought and sold a house and this summer we moved to Cambridge with two small children in tow. Normally my deadline is the end of the year, but we’re bringing my usual July publication date forward to May, so I needed to deliver almost two months early. I don’t know how, but I ended up writing even more words than I normally would. Like I say, I have loved writing this book.
One Perfect Summer is set mainly in the UK – primarily Dorset and Cambridge, with small side trips to London, Germany and Austria. I enjoyed writing about Dorset – we went there this summer on a research trip – and I adored writing about Cambridge, which, together with Dorset, is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.
I came for a day trip to Cambridge in summer 2010 and at the time said to my husband that this is a city where I could live. A year later the dream became a reality and every day now I look around with wonder. I’ve found this city so inspirational to write about. Whenever I research a place for one of my books, I put myself in my characters’ shoes and a little part of me feels like that place becomes home. In the case of Cambridge, it actually is my home now, and it feels surreal walking around and imagining my characters lives here. They feel very tangible to me.
I found myself in a unique situation with this book in that, for the first time ever, I didn’t know how it was going to end. I have always known how my books would pan out from start to finish, but as I approached the last twenty thousand words, I began to doubt the ending I had in my mind. Even in the last few pages, I still didn’t know the path my characters would take. It was truly bizarre to find myself in their hands, in a funny way. I cried when it was finished – but you’ll have to wait until May to find out if those tears were happy or sad. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think these characters may have more life in them yet…
