On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Catboad Road by Kate Rounds is a story of small town values, scandal, and sexuality.
Catboad Road
Akin to the family at the center of Kate Rounds’ quirky, sometimes racy new novel Catboat Road, boats sway on their moorings in the Massachusetts seaside town of Horton, which is cut off from the outside world. However, beneath the surface bubbles a primordial brew of salt and sea life.
Catboad Road
Unmoored from social convention, well-intentioned, and decidedly modern, the Ragsdales have learned to ride a wave of family turmoil and weave their way into the town’s rich tapestry, frequently to comic effect.
Readers are immersed in Candace “Ace” Ragsdale’s journey through Catboat Road. Ace is in love with the best friend of her mother and sees Mrs. Forest as an irresistible force of nature who is luscious, tempting, and possibly not completely out of reach.
Ace’s “Irish twin” brother Sawyer, who gives the best pedicures in town, and her loving parents complete the family.
A rebellious grandmother enters this eccentric New England household to assist the Ragsdales in saving the town windmill, whose mysterious energy has been linked to everything from night sweats to nymphomania. Readers will fully support Ace as she navigates the turbulent waters of love, sex, and small-town values during this spectacle of public conflict and private anguish.
Kate Rounds
As this sly and seductive narrative progresses at breakneck speed, readers will race to the finish line.
Kate Rounds
Kate Rounds is a seasoned journalist who has worked as a staff reporter, staff writer, freelance writer, and editor in chief of a trade publication. She found her stride at Ms. Magazine, where she served as senior editor, news editor, and Gloria Steinem’s editor. This position placed her in the company of notable feminist artists, writers, and thinkers.
Rounds connected with outstanding activists and brave advocates for women’s health and safety through a stint as executive editor at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
She mentored new local news reporters as editor in chief of the Hudson Reporter organization for fifteen years.
Rounds graduated from Goddard College with an MFA in creative writing. She does not have a cat and lives in Jersey City.
Available from Amazon.com and some independent booksellers.
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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Peter Barber talks about being inspired to write about his marriage to his wife Alex in his book, A Parthenon On Our Roof : The Adventures Of An Anglo Greek Marriage.
I interviewed Peter Barber about his life and career, his marriage to his Greek wife Alex, and why he was inspired to write his book, A Parthenon On Our Roof : The Adventures Of An Anglo Greek Marriage.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
Peter Barber
My Name is Peter Barber. I am 65 years old with a passion for Greek life. I also write books about Greece. When I first arrived in this beautiful country, my fiery Greek wife made it a mission to convert me from a strait-laced Englishman into something resembling an Achilles type character with sharpened sword and wits to match. My transformation would sometimes be hilarious, always embarrassing, but would change my outlook on life and open my eyes to the world around me.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
I have dabbled in writing for most of my life. Magazine articles, funny stories shared with friends. I wrote a short humorous account of my experiences with the recent covid lockdown. After its publication, the book became popular and inspired me to complete my book about Greece.
When did you take a step to start writing?
I had the idea for A Parthenon on our roof. The adventures of an Anglo Greek Marriage 20 years ago. I had been absorbed into my new Greek family and found so many differences to my old life. I spent so much time laughing and experiencing a wonderful new culture. But they presented this to me with love and humour every day. I needed to share this beautiful feeling before it became a normality. I could feel myself becoming more Greek every day.
So, I took my pen, and with a smile on my face, and wrote. As the book took shape, I began to realise that under the skin; we are all the same. We laugh, we cry, we feel. But Greeks do it better. With an English upbringing, I was used to hiding my feelings, here; they were expressed and shared. It was so refreshing.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
From the first idea. Starting my book took 10 years. Then I wrote intermittently over the next ten years until it was ready and polished. Now I am much more productive. I have almost finished my current book after only six months of writing.
What were your biggest challenges with writing A Parthenon On Our Roof : The Adventures Of An Anglo Greek Marriage?
A Parthenon On Our Roof
Writing a book about our lives together in Greece was a project which I enjoyed immensely. So many incredible experiences, visits to idyllic Greek islands, exploring the traditional foods and hospitality. The only real challenge was to sift through so many sections of our lives and choose which would be included in the book and reluctantly discarded some. But these will come back in the next book, so won’t be hidden for long.
What was your research process for A Parthenon On Our Roof : The Adventures Of An Anglo Greek Marriage?
My research was about lived experience. Everything included in my book was real and was part of our lives. From Alex trying to kill me on a mountain road as a joke, to my begging her to marry me. Alex’s daily fights with our rogue architect, who tried to snaffle most of our new apartment block. Everything you will read in the book happened.
How did you plan the structure of A Parthenon On Our Roof : The Adventures Of An Anglo Greek Marriage?
There was no need to plan the structure. As a true account end memoir, it formed its own timeline. The only issue was where to break away from the principal theme to explore the wider country of Greece and incorporate it into the story.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did A Parthenon On Our Roof : The Adventures Of An Anglo Greek Marriage need?
Yes. Once the first draft was complete, I sent it to a developmental editor who assisted in the structure and form of the book. Her suggestions enhanced the readability and form of the story.
With this advice, I could rewrite and produce a much better book.
After the developmental edit came the line-by-line edit. This removed any errors and loose sentences, leaving it ready for the final proofread.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a book?
We all have a story. Every well written and properly edited book will have readers interested in reading it. The first and most important is to write what you know. If you have lived the story, you will use your own words to put depth and feeling into your writing. Most of my work is humour. So, I write with a smile. It’s surprising how the emotion is transferred from your expression to the page.
Write every day. Even if your mind is blank. Just sit at your keyboard and write. It may just feel like meaningless words, but slowly they will take form and become a readable story.
Alex
Enjoy your writing and write for you. Few books reach the bestseller list. Some just disappear into obscurity. But if you have authored a book, you will always feel proud. No one can take that away from you. But, who knows, it may become a best seller. Either way, you have achieved something great in life.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
My next book is almost ready for editing. It’s a sequel to A Parthenon on our roof, but rather than being set in an upmarket Athenian suburb, but this time its humorous book set in a small Greek fishing village where we chose to build a new home. We should publish later this year.
And, finally, are you proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
Both Alex and I are very proud of the reception our book received. From the day of publication, it became a best seller on Amazon worldwide. It reached number one in the category of Greek Travel, Humorous Essays and has remained in the top 20 in Australia, USA, and UK. Gold medal winner. The Global Book Awards. Biographical – Travel, and 335 Amazon reviews, mostly five stars.
But this means nothing compared to sitting in my living room in my Greek home, looking at my bookshelf and knowing that I wrote that book.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
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The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Joon Bai has released his memoir, Promises, about his real life story growing up inside the borders of North Korea.
Promises
Promises
In his engaging new memoir, Promises, humanitarian, movie producer, and successful entrepreneur Joon Bai shares his extraordinary life story and the lessons he learned about courage, challenges, and hope. He also gives readers a rare look inside the borders of North Korea.
Bai endured the devastation of World War II and the Korean War from his early childhood in North Korea before moving to America as an exchange student. He eventually opened his own factory in rural Pennsylvania, supported by his beloved wife, Kyuhee, and mother, after earning an engineering degree and beginning a successful business career.
With her hard-won success at hand, Bai went back to North Korea to assist farmers and children who had been affected by the ongoing famine there. She spent millions of dollars and saved a lot of lives along the way. According to Bai, it was an effort that was motivated by the Christian faith that his mother and wife instilled in him.
Bai’s passion and devotion led him to write and produce the moving film The Other Side Of The Mountain, a heartbreaking love story with a message of unification that is dear to Koreans on both sides of the border.
Promises chronicles each and every one of these experiences. It is a story about values, character, perseverance, and most importantly, the power of love and faith.
Joon Bai
Joon Bai
Deeply grateful to his new country, America, for embracing him and giving him every opportunity to become a good citizen and to contribute to the society, Joon Bai is a successful entrepreneur and humanitarian. He returned to his birthplace of North Korea numerous times to provide philanthropic assistance to farmers, orphans, and numerous other individuals with the assistance of the love of his life, his wife, Kyuhee.
He wrote and co-produced the award-winning film The Other Side Of The Mountain while traveling in North Korea. It was the first time an American and the North Korean government had worked together on a film. Bai lives in Pleasanton, California.
Read more now:
For more information about the movie, The Other Side of the Mountain, visit www.osomfilm.com.
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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts magazine in the UK“, great importance lies in the diverse representation in literature, especially when it comes to young minds. Find out what our experts have to say on the topic.
Given a global population of roughly 7.8 billion, the diversity we witness day-to-day is vast and dynamic. We regularly interact with people from a wide range of backgrounds as we go about our lives. And every day, our awareness about the importance of celebrating shared humanity and the beautiful differences that define it grows a tiny bit more. But that’s in the “real world”; what about books? Literature is an indispensable part of our lives. So, shouldn’t our library shelves be just as diverse and dynamic as our communities? How can storytellers help this majorly significant cause, and what’s the true importance of diverse representation in literature? That’s our talk for the day!
What do we mean by diversity in literature?
When we say diverse representation in literature, we mean recognition, respect, and inclusion of true-to-life characters. These are characters with a wide variety of human traits, intersecting various social and economic settings and identities, and who live within or come from diverse contexts. These are characters that are traditionally under-represented. We tell and illustrate stories to reflect and celebrate the depth and breadth of human diversity. For this reason, authors passionate about diversity will not stereotypically showcase minority characters. Instead, they’ll get down to the real nitty-gritty of their character’s livelihood.
Why does it matter?
We live in a world that is greatly ruled by the media. Inclusion in the fictional realm of literature is just like appearing on stage or on television – it signifies social existence. Being systematically excluded, minimized, or condemned by the media as a particular group means, as professor G. Gerbner would put it, symbolic annihilation. It (further) disenfranchises this group, sends a symbolic message about their value, and even perpetuates society’s undervaluing of the excluded group(s). That’s why it matters whose stories get told.
Diverse representation in literature bears major importance when rearing young minds.
The importance of diverse representation in literature
Promotes inclusivity
Everyone deserves to see themselves in the books they read and to feel accepted and loved. Not the whole world is white, abled, straight, cisgender, male, and with a nuclear family structure. So, when people read books and see characters in a similar position or who look, act or think the same way, it anchors their perception of how they fit in society. They feel relieved and less alone knowing other people are like them and who experience life the way they do.
This is especially important for children because it reinforces a positive view of themselves, helping them develop healthy self-images and feel comfortable with who they are.
It brings visibility to cultures different from our own
A more significant part of the answer to the question of why diverse literature is so important comes down to education. As children and adults, it’s normal to anchor our ideas about the world and the people in it on what we see around us and what we’re told. So, without exposure to diverse books, we have no way of learning about other cultures and the problem of marginalization embedded in our society today. Sure, a lot of people travel a lot, and it broadens their minds. And according to a2bmovingandstorage.com, those who have moved and lived in lots of different places swear by the fact that it has made them more trusting and less prejudiced. But not everybody can travel all the time or relocate.
That’s why the books that serve as windows into different cultures and people deserve a big nod. They help us, especially children, open our minds to those who are different from us, change our attitude toward those differences, and shed light on the challenges minority groups experience daily.
It’s important to learn about experiences different from our own.
Fosters empathy
Developmental psychology research has shown time and time again that storybooks can be incredible empathy-building vehicles for children and adults. The simulated, abstract experiences and narratives can influence kids’ awareness of what different people in different situations may feel. As a result, they can better identify with someone outside of their Self and their own circle. They get to see outside their own little world, walk in another’s shoes, and see things from a perspective they may never encounter. This not only minimizes fostered bias and prejudice but also helps cultivate compassion, awareness, and understanding.
Emphasizes similarities
Not every read with diverse characters underlines diversity as a different experience. Some of these books simply spotlight a slice of everyday life that discloses one simple truth of the human experience: ultimately, we’re not so different after all. In fact, we are all so much more similar than we are different. And by getting to know the characters from our books, we become more aware of that.
By reading diverse books, we become more aware of how alike we all are.
Encourages curiosity
Curiosity in children is inspiring and infinite. It’s one of their characteristics that should be carefully cultivated, which is why we have this enormous responsibility when choosing community reads. The right choice will create an opening for discussions about current events they hear in the classroom, on the news, or at home. And when these little sponges read about an experience in a book, it readies them for a larger discussion in a safe place.
Builds critical thinking
The main point of a well-written book on diversity is not to cause discourse among readers. However, development is not possible without it. Wanting to protect our children is perfectly valid; however, recent research has shown that censorship actually works against us. It discourages open discussion and authoritatively controls information when children should actively build the capacity to think for themselves. By encouraging diversity in the materials that we consume – regardless of how controversial the topic – we are promoting awareness, inclusiveness, and empathy. We are cultivating our children’s ability to decide on their own what’s right and wrong. We are giving them tools for growth and putting our faith in them to make the right decisions.
Check your bookshelf!
For decades now, there’s been an ongoing discussion about the importance of diverse representation in literature. However, it is only over the past few years that it has become more visible and weighed with importance rather than as a hindrance among publishers, researchers, and readers. Everybody realizes it’s no longer something we can afford to ignore as a society. Books are unbelievably powerful, so they inevitably play a major role in this global problem. We must seek change and work hard to make the world a safe and equal place for all!
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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best creativity magazine in the UK“, author Kris Rogers shares the experiences that led to publishing her first novel, The Right To Be Forgotten, in her 60s.
I’ve always written stories for my own amusement, a bit like a hobby really. I wrote my first full length novel in my early thirties and I had a goal to achieve publication by the time I was forty.
It never happened.
A Need To Write
My first novel was cringingly bad and, on reflection, didn’t deserve to be published anyway. But it sparked off a need in me to continue writing novels, even if no one else ever read them. It was something inside of me that needed to be released.
Then fifty came and went and by this time I had accumulated a portfolio of unpublished novels, hiding away in the depths of my laptop. I had a busy career and family life but still, there was this little space inside me that could only be filled by writing stories. I had lots of ideas but no one seemed interested in reading them. Then I read that the average age for a debut author is 36 and that 40 was considered to be at the older end of the scale.
Too Old To Be Published?
Perhaps the window of opportunity was in the past for me at 50?
So, I stopped writing for a few years. To begin with it was a relief. That little gremlin stopped sitting on my shoulder, niggling away at me to make more time for my writing. The guilt went away that I wasn’t focussing enough on my little hobby. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to be writer and I had to accept that maybe what I was writing wasn’t good enough to be published. Maybe that was all there was to it.
But as time went on, I found that I missed it so much I just had to start writing again. What did it matter if no one read my work? I could still write for my own enjoyment and mental well- being even if it never left my laptop. What’s wrong with that?
Writing For The Love Of It
The answer is that there is nothing at all wrong with that. In fact, if that’s what floats your boat then go for it. Not everyone can be published but that doesn’t mean that writing is not a worthwhile way of spending your time. You don’t need to be published to validate your own writing time either. Nobody thinks that you have to play professional football to enjoy football so why should writers feel that they must be published to enjoy writing or that you have to be published in order to call yourself an author. If you have written a novel, that is an achievement in itself and you can call yourself an author.
Since deciding to take up writing again, I have written thousands of words leading to three completed, but unpublished, novels and more than five half- finished novels. I find that I write better if I set myself deadlines, otherwise I can become distracted by real life. And, as they say, practice makes perfect. The more you write and hone your craft, the better you become as a writer. If I have a period of free time, I like to write in the morning otherwise I write at night but if the writing is flowing, I can write for hours without a break. If the writing isn’t flowing though, I really struggle to keep going for an hour and will probably delete everything I wrote the next day as it’s usually just page filler. But that’s ok too.
The Right To Be Forgotten
Right To Be Forgotten
Three years ago I completed yet another novel. It was inspired by something I’d seen driving home from work one day. There was a young couple stopped at the side of the road by their car and they were in a heated argument. Even though I couldn’t hear them, you could tell that they were really going at each other, their faces were scrunched up and red and their body language was so tense. As I drove passed, I wondered what could have caused such a public argument and I also wondered at what point would a passer-by get involved if it kept going, if anyone ever would. And that’s the question my debut novel answers. When would you get involved?
As I re-read the finished manuscript before starting the editing process, I had a feeling that this might just be the one that was good enough to submit for publication. I gave it to a friend to read and she really enjoyed it; she also gave me some good feedback. So I bit the bullet and started the, at times painful, process of submitting again. As usual, I received many rejections. It’s easy to take them to heart but if you want to be published you have to learn to let them wash over you and take on any constructive feedback if it’s offered. I’ve learnt that rejections are often not personal and more about what works for the agent or publisher than the story submitted.
Published In May 2022
Then one day in February 2020, I had an email from an indie publisher I’d submitted to a couple of months before, Cassandra Davis at Cahill Davis Publishing. I was expecting yet another rejection but instead the email said that she had really enjoyed reading my manuscript and she would like to offer me a contract. I thought that it might be a mistake but it wasn’t, it was a genuine offer for MY manuscript. I was 60 and I’d finally achieved my dream. All that time and effort I’d put in to writing over the years and finally it was paying off. My first published novel The Right to be Forgotten, a psychological thriller involving a kidnapping and coercive control, was released in May 2022.
The good thing about being an author is that age is no barrier. Unlike football you don’t have to be at the peak of fitness to carry on writing. After all, Mary Wesley was 70 when she had her first novel published and she continued writing for another 20 years. So maybe 60 is the new 40 for me and maybe I’ve got decades of a writing career ahead of me!
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