NOVELTINA LITERARY AND CRITICAL AGENCY

Mudlark Cottage, The Harbour, Shrimphaven

Dear Neville Strudwick,

I have now assessed your novel, which you will find enclosed together with my critique.

You said in your introductory letter that it was based on your own life, and actually I didn’t think things were that exciting growing up in the country in the fifties, especially all the rather Zane Grey bits, riding about with guns, but clearly I was wrong. The incident at nineteen when you shot and killed your twin brother, Barnaby, in a freak accident must have been a terrible experience, and clearly one you could never entirely forget, although when his girlfriend, Glenda, turned to you for comfort and eventually you married, it must have been some solace to you both.

The trouble is, apart from this one incident the book doesn’t really seem to be going anywhere, being as it is the episodic exploits of a group of young boys growing up in the country linked by a series of rather dry lectures on farming methods, and although the boys have lots of adventures, the book seems to entirely lack any kind of premise whatsoever – and, indeed, a plot – and I am afraid is not publishable as it stands.

However, I think I have discovered your true métier! Yes, I believe that if you visit your local library and take out lots of cowboy books and study them closely, you can then turn Sons of the Soil into a super Western! Take that incident with your unfortunate brother and fictionalize it into the central event of the book, making it a stirring tale of unrequited passion and love of the ranch and that kind of thing: maybe the young Glenda figure could be the only daughter of a rich rancher? Or a widow trying to run her place herself but sorely in need of a Shane-like figure to ride into her life and rescue her? You can then retitle it along the lines of Sons of the Arroyo Canyon and submit it to publishers specializing in this type of novel.

That adult computer class for beginners you attended certainly taught you a lot, and perhaps you could ask your teacher to show you the spellcheck facility, which is invaluable. Also, when you do finally submit your novel to a publisher, I am sure you will not economize by printing it off on to the back of old National Farmers Union letters and the like, but use fresh, decent-quality printer paper.

Well, Neville, I hope you are not too disheartened by my critique but instead excited by the thought of embracing a whole new genre!

I wish you all the best with it,

Tina Devino

I was guest speaker at the Shrimphaven Gardening Club’s annual lunch, and not only did they pay me, but they also gave me food and drink.