Box Sets Anyone?

 

I love a good book box set! In fact, I love them so much I was given two sets for Christmas! There is something satisfactory about seeing them on a bookshelf - sitting there all neat and organised... hinting at the personality of the owner who owns them.

I think it may stem from when I was younger. The first novels I enjoyed were series, written by the formidable and talented Enid Blyton. A series, written by the same author, provided a reassurance that the book you were spending your pocket money on was going to be of the same standard as before. Of course, it was also the era of the Reader's Digest book sets.

Once again, they were neat, organised and appealing to look at. As a teenager, I was fascinated by their gold embossed lettering and swirls. Unfortunately, I also found them a little daunting and didn't read them. Their hardback covers reminded me of the sort of books found in the libraries of a grand stately home so I assumed they were too educated for the likes of little old me, a farmer's daughter growing up in rural Cornwall. It wasn't until I was a young adult that I came across the set again and took another look. To my surprise I discovered that the books were just normal books and that I had read several of them already, just with another book cover. This experience taught me a lesson... book sets are just as much about being ornamental and projecting an image of the owner, as it is about the books inside the covers.

Now is the era of the box set, which has all the advantages and intrigue of the above but now neatly slid into a carefully designed box. They are so popular that publishers now use box sets in a number of ways in an attempt to get a reader to buy not one but several books in one hit.

So what are the types out there? Lets take a look and the categories I have found.

Standalone novels by the same author.
My Jane Austen box set, published by Wordsworth Editions, is a perfect example of this. Austen's six novels, which were published anonymously in her lifetime, proudly bear her name on each spine and take pride of place on my shelf. Notice that the spine area is just as important, if not more so, than the book covers inside, which is unusual for a book.

Box set include Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey,
Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility

Series by the same author
The Complete Anne of Green Gables Collection by L. M. Montgomery is published by Arcturus. Over a series of capers and experiences, it tells the 'coming of age' story of Anne during the 1800s. Although written in the early 1900s, we can see that great care has been taken to appeal to today's reader. Bright colours and contemporary illustrations on the box cover and spines are used to appeal to a demographic that may not normally go for historical fiction.

Standalone novels by the same family.

The Complete Brontë Collection, once again published by Wordsworth, is a good example of family box sets where the customer gets three authors (Anne, Charlotte and Emily) for the price of one box set. These types are less common for obvious reasons as not many families can boast so many successful writers. This particular box set is a good example of how publishers can use box sets to sell less popular books. How many of you have read The Professor, Shirley or Villette? If you had a box set you might give them a try.

Agnes Grey, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Jane Eyre, The Professor,
Shirley, Villette, and Wuthering Heights

Standalone novels with the same protagonist

Although the Anne of Green Gables collection has the same protagonist throughout, I see it more of a series due to the fact that she grows up through the books. Sherlock Holmes Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle, published by Arcturus, is in a different category again as each story is a stand-alone tale, yet with the same protagonist throughout.

Collections by age

Box sets are perfect for children - and their parents who are desperate to encourage their children to read.  Little Miss: My Complete Collection Box Set is published by Farshore. It includes all 36 Little Miss books. Designed to appeal to toddlers and children aged 2+, careful consideration has been made regarding who the protagonist is and the readership it is likely to attract. You will also note the change in design of the box. Less important is the 'ornament' appeal, now its about keeping the books together so they can be tidied away at the end of the day, hence the lid.

Collections by company

Box sets are about reassuring the reader that the publisher has done the work for the reader by choosing good quality books for them. That reassurance can also come from the company or business that has produced something else but can be linked and add sparkle to the books that inspired them initially or were inspired by them. A good example of this is Disney Storytime Collection, published by Autumn Publishing. The reader knows the stories and the illustrations already, but now have the books to read too!

I am sure I have missed out on other types. I suspect there are box sets by genre rather than author too (ie horror) but this post is long enough already. So next time you are in a book shop or surfing the net, take a look at what box sets are on offer and ask yourself why do they look like they do? Will it look good on the bookshelf in my home? Are there any books you've not heard of before nestled next to the well known ones? Is it the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy second cousin? Happy hunting everyone!

Victoria Cornwall

A WRITER'S MORAL COMPASS

Picture the scene ... for a writing exercise given by my writing group we were asked to write the opening pages of a novel set in war time. No specific war was given. It didn't have to be a romance. I prefer to call my books relationship novels but there will almost always be a romance in there somewhere. I chose WW2. I'd never written an historical before. I didn't know that I wanted to but I set to with the exercise with absolutely no view to publication. I used multiple viewpoints, often within the same paragraph - think Maeve Binchey. I live not far from Slapton where that village, and many surrounding ones, was requisitioned to billet American soldiers in the practice for D Day.

I also live not far from Plymouth which had its own Blitz ... a Canadian uncle was there as part of the demolition team. So, you see, I had a fair bit of background to go on. I read a couple of wartime romances (which I don't normally read) before I began, just go get the gist of how it's done. I didn't stop at a few pages. I wrote three chapters. A member of the writing group I go to is a Times Best Seller novelist. She asked if she could show it to her agent. A top agent, as it happens - well, THE top agent. Said agent asked to meet me in London. So off I went. It was obvious during our afternoon tea that she would be happy to represent me. She talked about a series. She told me where she wanted the series set. I came back home slightly shell-shocked. I told my dad. He went very quiet. 'Your granny didn't find war romantic, love,' he said. His own father had perished in WW1, although he came through WW2 himself unscathed. That pricked my conscience if you like. As we all watch the war in Ukraine in more or less real time the sheer horror of it is hitting me all over again. I have absolutely nothing against anyone who chooses to write, or read, wartime sagas but I knew I just couldn't do it then, and I can't do it now. No doubt there is someone, somewhere, already penning a novel set during the current war in Ukraine.

So, the upshot is that although I would probably have made a shedload of money out of writing wartime sagas, I declined - as gracefully as I could - the agent's representation. Possibly, it is the biggest writing-related error I could ever make, although she left it open should I ever change my mind. At the end of the day we must all write what we feel comfortable with and thank our lucky stars we live in a country where we are still able to do that.

Going Out, Out!!! Romantic Novel Awards 2022

Hello everyone. My name is Jenni Keer and welcome to my first post on the marvellous Novel Points of View Blog, where today I’d like to talk about the importance of real life events...

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I think everyone appreciates how solitary an author’s life can be - even if they aren't an author themselves. Writing a book largely consists of me and my laptop, and it can be a love/hate relationship at the best of times. However, in the last two years, many people have been forced to adopt the writer's somewhat solitary existence, and not through choice. Since the global pandemic, a large proportion of the population has had to embrace working and/or learning from home. Some really struggled with the isolation, but perhaps authors fared better than most as we were used to being alone in a room with only a keyboard for company. What I did miss though, was the in person events where I could chat with my author pals and my readers, so I am delighted that we are finally getting back to these. Already this year, I’ve talked at a W.I., a library, a secondary school and have started to meet up with authors for coffee again, and boy does it feel good.

A room full of happy people!

On Monday, I attended the RNA Romantic Novel Awards in London. I was at this event exactly two years ago when “The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker” was shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel award, and it was the last major event I attended prior to lockdown. Little did we realise covid would drag on for so long and it would be March 2022 until we met again. Oh, how I’d missed everyone...

Zoom calls are all very well, and I’m sure the popularity of this virtual meeting space will endure beyond the pandemic, but there are so many things you can’t do via video link. You can’t hug someone, buy them a drink, separate from the throng to have a quiet two minutes alone with a friend, share a dining experience, and you certainly can’t hand over a jar of delicious homemade marmalade – thanks John Jackson!

Fellow NPOV blogger, John Jackson

Having taken a lateral flow test before setting off (hmmm... more on this later...) the first thing I did when I arrived at the venue was seek out old friends. There were a couple of hugs (after establishing mutual permission) and it reminded me that human touch was one thing many of those who lived alone found they missed the most during the first lockdown. Obviously, we still have to assess the risks, but what a world it would be if we were never to embrace our loved ones again. Some of my author friends had been through some bumpy times since our last meeting, both professionally and personally, so re-establishing real life contact and giving an encouraging smile, was important. I loved hearing about everyone’s successes and chatting with the shortlistees, wishing every one of them could win. Then there was time for the inevitable industry gossip – we authors like to keep our fingers on the pulse and remain abreast of what’s hot and what’s not. And I’m passionate about supporting new writers, so always try to help where I can by networking with them, or answering questions.

The effervescent Jean Fullerton and the winning books

The charming Larry Lamb presented many of the awards, and the event as compèred by the lovely Jo Thomas. There was a moment to reflect the sad loss of Jane Wenham-Jones (I’m still in shock) and time to celebrate the worthy winners; Liz Fenwick, Freya Marske, Suzanne Fortin, Heidi Stephens, Sheila Norton, Louise Allen, Kathryn Freeman, Bella Osborne, Catherine Tilney, Dani Atkins and the person I'd travelled down to support, my very VERY dear friend Rosie Hendry. As is always said, and it is true, everyone shortlisted is a winner and all of those fabulous authors should be proud of themselves.

Evonne Wareham, Sue Lovett,
Ella Gyland and me

The charming Henri/Ella Gyland

Yes, I am quite tall!
With Clare Marchant, Sarah Shoesmith and Rosie Hendry.

All good things must come to an end though, and the three hours flew by, but I can’t tell you how bouncy I was when I got home. I always feel inspired when I return from an in person event. The joy of dressing up in lovely clothes after two years of pyjamas and casual clothes was immense. (Although I have been known to wear perfume for Zoom meetings.) And I have made new friends and met new contacts. Always a bonus.

However, my unconfined joy quickly became quite literally confined when I had a positive covid test on Wednesday. This, unfortunately, is the risk of re-entering the real world and a frustrating postscript to this piece. I'm fine and feel that, as a household of six, we have been lucky to avoid it this far. Life must go on, but for those friends who are still medically vulnerable, who live in remote locations, or who find these events difficult to attend for a variety of reasons, I am glad the internet has opened up a way of communication, learning and keeping in touch (including the fabulous RNA Learning courses – see their website for details) but I am truly grateful that I can, at least occasionally and taking the risks into account, be back in the real world again.

Jenni x

Jenni Keer writes commercial women's fiction and her latest dual timeline romance, The Secrets of Hawthorn Place, a continuous Amazon bestseller since October, has over 800 reviews and the paperback is currently available nationwide at The Works stores for just £2!

smarturl.it/SHPJK

Reading the Signs

Two weeks ago, I attended my first live Book Festival workshop in over two years. And appropriately enough it took place in my hometown of Paisley — a place I left over twenty years ago and until four years ago had made a point of returning to as little as possible. But things are changing. The town itself is changing and I know that I have changed too. 

 The weather that week had been terrible and we’d lurched our way from one storm to another. But when I arrived in Paisley it was calm, clear and almost sunny. Part of me felt guilty for going — I have had third round edits of The Viking’s Princess Bride hanging over me, undone, for weeks now — but I’m glad I went for several reasons.

Firstly, I had arranged to meet another writer and it was good to see her – we also befriended another woman, a former journalist turned museum curator, who patiently listened to the two of us wittering on nostalgically. Secondly, I ran into another friend quite by chance. He’s a musician and as it turned out my workshop took place above the hall where he was playing in so I got to hear him too!

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, it let me reset my thinking about writing, taking me back to a point at which ideas are everything, a series of unconnected words and ideas just waiting to be formed and full of infinite potential. This is the part of writing I enjoy the most and it was good to take a break from editing and experience a reminder of that more joyful part of the writing process.

The workshop was entitled Walking With Words: Oot and Aboot in Paisley. The workshop itself focused on the idea that there are words all around us and that as writers we can find these and use them in unexpected and interesting ways. Observing the world around us and seeking out the words from our environment, especially those we might otherwise not notice due to their familiarity or their ordinariness is an interesting exercise. 

As a writer I have often been advised to ask what if when working out story ideas, but during this workshop I found myself perhaps at the step before that one and asking why?

Why are those words there?

The name Paisley is probably more familiar to people due to the pattern which was commercialised in the town’s extensive textile industry from the mid-eighteenth century to the late twentieth. There are obviously a whole range of issues surrounding the history of this textile industry and the design of this pattern, that could be explored in various types of writing. After the mills closed the town entered a period of decline which it is only now beginning to pull itself out of and many of the signs we found related to either the textile industry or the idea of regeneration – particularly appropriate for a writer currently teetering on the brink of burnout.

Many of the street names reflect the textile industry and many of the town’s significant buildings were funded and named after the two biggest mill-owning families. Paisley has one of the highest concentrations of listed buildings per square mile of any town in Scotland. Many of these buildings are currently undergoing renovation work and so many of the words we found related to that.

We chose to stay in our group of three when we were sent out on our walk. Even in our wee group of three, we all passed the same signs and buildings but all made quite different choices about the words we chose to ‘keep.’  Some of the shop and pub names appealed to me as possible titles!

Sometimes as a short story writer, I worry that I'll run out of ideas. After this workshop, however, I’m feeling reassured. There’s potential all around us if we just look for it. Tilt your head to one side and change your perspective. Look at the familiar things around you and start to see them as something new. 

Our walk lasted around an hour and sitting down to write this post has made me realise just how much potential I noted down in that short space of time. The next time I’m looking for an idea I’ll go back to these photos and look at these words. Then I might think about what might have happened in those places for those words to end up there. I might research the historical events or invent a narrative of my own. I might use a phrase as a prompt or as a title. The possibilities are endless if I only read the signs! 

Three words remain with me after the workshop, pushing me forward through my edits - although I managed not to photograph one of them!

Reimagine. Reawaken. Restore.