Update - Progress at last!
Jun 05, 2025 7:01 am
Hi
It’s settling in to winter here in Sydney now, which suits me just fine! My early morning works are brisk and refreshing, and I get to wear all my much loved boots and scarves and coats.
Good news – I’ve finally just completed the first draft of All That Remains, which is a huge relief. Each book is different, with its own pitfalls and problems, but for a while there, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make this one work. I just kept going though, because there’s a quote attributed to the writer Jane Smiley that says:
“Every first draft is perfect because all the first draft has to do is exist. It’s perfect in its existence. The only way it could be imperfect would be to NOT exist.”
And I think there’s some truth in that. Certainly my first drafts have got better over the years. I wrote at least 15 drafts for my first novel – Another Time and Place – before it even reached an editor. My more recent novels have generally required a lot less rewriting – two or three drafts is usually sufficient, and with far fewer major changes. That said, I already know that this one does require at least a couple of major changes, so I definitely I have my work cut out! I'm excited to get started, and I'm planning to get it finished over the next few months. I will of course keep you posted.
Apart from the writing, I’ve been living a fairly quiet life – walking in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, visits to local galleries, bookstores, and movies, and making the most of Sydney’s vast range of cheap eats. Having lived for several years in Japan, I'm absolutely delighted by the recent proliferation of affordable Japanese restaurants and we've made it a mission to keep trying new ones! Sydney is such a great city, and I count myself very lucky to live here.
Our view the other night while having dinner in the city.
What I’m reading: I’ve just finished Medea by Eilish Quin, which is an interesting and sympathetic take on the story of Greek mythology’s most infamous witch, offering the tale from Medea’s perspective. I love these retellings of the Greek myths, and this one didn’t disappoint.
What I’m watching: Narrow Road to the Far North. A harrowing, beautiful, and compelling story of a doctor who is imprisoned by the Japanese in WW2, it’s based on the equally gripping novel of the same name. You might be interested to know that I did a few days as a movie extra when they were shooting in Sydney, and if you don’t blink, you might just catch sight of me in the background in three or four scenes.
Here are the links to my books. Have you read them all?
Until next time, happy reading,
Kind regards
Samantha
https://www.samgrosserbooks.com
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/samantha-grosser
