I couldn’t get a deer for my publication day image, so a couple of goats kissing will have to do. These two live at the end of my garden in a neighbour’s meadow, and when she goes away, I get to feed them. I don’t know their proper names but we call them The Fonz and Lady.
But I’m not here to tell you about goats, no matter how much I love them, instead I’m here to tell you that it’s paperback publication day for The Memory of Animals in North America. The jacket is still that wonderful hyper-realist painting of a deer with coral growing up its legs by Lisa Ericson, designed by Beth Steidle. So thanks to her and all the wonderful people at Tin House.
The paperback is available to buy from all bookshops and online, or if you fancy entering my giveaway on Instagram for a North American reader to get a signed copy, click here.
If you do spot the book in your local bookstore, don’t forget to take a picture and send it to me.
Are you currently editing a novel or some non-fiction? In May 2024 I’ll be teaching on an Arvon residential writing week on how to edit fiction and non-fiction, alongside fellow writer, Adam Weymouth. Adam’s first book, Kings of the Yukon, tells the story of his 2000 mile canoe trip down the Yukon River through Canada and Alaska.
From a developmental review to the fine detail of the line edit, from comprehensive rewrites to the final polish, using exercises, readings, discussions and tutorials, we’ll share techniques, tips and best practices which will help you hone your voice, clarify your thoughts and transform your writing. Along the way, we’ll talk about the detail of hitting word-editing counts, creating and working with book maps, and how to break down your edit into manageable tasks. You will leave with a better understanding of how to know what needs changing, and how to know when it’s done. Whether you’re already published or just starting out, this course is for anyone with a draft that they want to bring to its best.
The week includes group teaching, workshops, one-to-ones with the tutors, as well as evening activities, accommodation and all meals. This writing week is held at wonderful house called The Hurst set in beautiful and inspirational grounds in Shropshire.
Arvon residential weeks are immersive, energising, and great fun!
I’m absolutely delighted to be interviewing Alice Winn about her wonderful novel, In Memoriam, in Winchester on Thursday 21st March. In Memoriam is a searing love story between two men with WWI backdrop, and it won the Waterstones Novel of the Year 2023. Alice is over from Brooklyn for the paperback release and is only doing a few dates, so I’m very excited that she’ll be in Hampshire for an early event with Winchester Books Festival.
I’m excited to let you know that I’ve been invited by Quay Words to host a three-day course for emerging writers with a focus on developing characters in your fiction. We’ll be discussing how to create ‘real’ characters on the page, looking at some published examples, workshopping pieces of writing, and doing some writing exercises.
It will take place in Exeter Custom House, Exeter, Devon, 26th to 28th April. The writers are selected via applications, and applications close on 10th March – so be quick! You can find more information about the course, how to apply, and costs here: https://quaywords.org.uk/take-part/hothouse-with-claire-fuller/
I’m delighted to let you know that The Memory of Animals has won an AudioFile Earphones Award for the audio book, narrated by actress Genevieve Gaunt. The award is given to truly exceptional titles that excel in narrative voice and style, characterizations, suitability to audio, and enhancement of the text.
This is what AudioFile said:
“Genevieve Gaunt performs this compelling audiobook about a near-future pandemic. Neffy is one of the few people to take the vaccine and survive. Gaunt portrays her in a vulnerable tone and youthful timbre. Gaunt’s crisp English accent works well with this London-based story. The postapocalyptic plot follows Neffy and four other 20-somethings who are surviving in a “biopharm” facility as they come to terms with the ghastly reality outside their doors. Neffy’s story flashes back to the past as she uses a “revisiting” machine to reconnect with her lover and stepbrother. This is an engaging and immersive listen.”
I was lucky enough to be a guest of Penguin and go into the studio when Genevieve was recording it, and I thought she was amazing. There are lots of different accents and voices in the novel, and she gets them all perfect for my ears.
The audio book is available from Audible UK, and Audible US, both with Genevieve narrating.
If you’ve listened to the audio book of The Memory of Animals, let me know!
I’m very excited to be able to let you know the dates and locations I’ll be in North America during June. All links to more information, including event times are available on my Up-coming events page.
I’ll be in conversation with some amazing authors from Catherine Newman (at Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley MA), author of the recently published (and wonderful) novel, We All Want Impossible Things, to Gina Chung, (McNally Jackson, New York) whose debut Sea Change features a Giant Pacific Octopus, and William Landay (Belmont Books, Belmont, MA), author of Defending Jacob and his latest novel, which I loved, All That is Mine I Carry With Me.
I’d love it if you could make it to one of these events, but if you live too far away please do let any bookish friends know about any events close to them.
My fifth novel, The Memory of Animals is published today in the UK in hardback, ebook and audio book. Buy a buy a copy from your lovely local independent book shop, Waterstones, or from Bookshop.org. Or the audio book from Audible.
Here’s what Penguin says about it:
From the Costa-Winning, Women’s Prize-shortlisted author of Unsettled Ground: a gripping, haunting novel about memory, love and survival, for readers of Never Let me Go and Leave the World Behind
Neffy is a young woman running away from grief and guilt, and the one big mistake that has derailed her career. When she answers the call to volunteer in a controlled vaccine trial, it offers her a way to pay off her many debts and, perhaps, to make up for the past.
But when the London streets below her window fall silent, and all external communications cease, only Neffy and four other volunteers remain in the unit. With food running out, and a growing sense that the strangers she is with may be holding back secrets, Neffy has questions that no one can answer. Does safety lie inside or beyond the unit? And who, or what is out there?
While she weighs up her choices, she is introduced to a pioneering and controversial technology which allows her to revisit memories from her life before: a childhood divided between her enigmatic mother and her father in his small hotel in Greece. Intoxicated by the freedom of the past and the chance to reunite with those she loves, she increasingly turns away from her perilous present. But in this new world where survival rests on the bonds between strangers, is she jeopardising any chance of a future?
The Memory of Animals is a taut and emotionally charged novel about freedom and captivity, survival and sacrifice and whether you can save anyone before you save yourself.
‘Another literary page-turner … Compulsive and thoroughly convincing. Terrific!’ Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures
‘Haunting and unsettling, moving and thoughtful, with horror lurking at the edges, this is a subtle, elegant novel. Claire Fuller is a huge talent’ Lucy Atkins, author of Magpie Lane
My fifth novel, The Memory of Animals is published on 20th April 2023 in the UK, and Penguin, my publisher are keeping me busy with lots of events. From Bath, to Winchester, Norfolk, Edinburgh, Berkshire, one online event, and more, it would be lovely to see you at one of them. Visit my Up-Coming Events page for more information and to book.
Watch out for more information shortly about a US / Canadian tour.
Today I’m finally allowed to reveal the US and Canadian cover for my fifth novel, The Memory of Animals. And oh my goodness, I love it so much. It’s designed by Beth Steidle, Tin House Associate Director of Design & Production, using art work by Lisa Ericson.
It will be published by Tin House on June 6 2023, and you can find out a bit more about it here.
The Memory of Animals is available to pre-order: In the US from Barnes and Noble, here. In Canada from Indigo, here. In the UK from Waterstones, here.
Please order from your local independent when you are able.
I’m excited to be able to finally reveal the UK cover for my fifth novel: The Memory of Animals. Fig Tree / Penguin, my UK publisher says it’s a ‘gripping, haunting novel about memory, love and survival’, and I’ll add…also octopuses! It’s beautiful cover is designed by Penguin designer, Julia Connolly.
The Memory of Animals is available to pre-order now, so that it can slip through your letterbox on 20th April 2023:
