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Star mum's novel idea

28Aug07

WITH a husband and three young children to care for, as well as a part-time job, it is amazing Magdalena Ball has time to read the daily newspaper, let alone write a novel.

But that's just what this vivacious Martinsville mum has done and she will officially launch the book, Sleep Before Evening, at Angus and Robertson in the Newcastle Mall at 11am today.

Life at the 30ha property she and her husband share with their children, aged 10, seven and four, can be hectic but for Mrs Ball, this novel has been a long time in the making and she felt compelled to fit in the writing of it around her other commitments.

``I first had the idea many years ago, when I was inspired by Walter Pater's book The Renaissance and its theme of the importance of art in life,'' she said.

``When I fell pregnant with my first child I thought I would begin a novel of my own since I was facing a change in lifestyle and would have lots of time on my hands.

``Of course I hadn't counted on the consuming terror and loss of sleep associated with a first child.

``I made a start at plotting the novel in small stages, but it was to be some years before I actually began to flesh it out.''

When Mrs Ball began work on her manuscript, she made a pact with herself to do something on the book every day, even if it was just one sentence.

``It was really important to touch base with the work every day if you don't do that, it can retreat further and further into your mind,'' she said.

Having had a poetry anthology and several short stories published, Mrs Ball was unprepared for the difficulty she would encounter in finding a publisher for her novel.

``The book was four or five years in the writing and I thought that was that,'' she said.

``But then I received many rejections from literary agents and publishers some of which offered very constructive criticism and I did rewrites for about another two years.

``I could have self-published but then I don't think the book would have reached the standard it attained following those rewrites.''

Pop into Angus and Robertson today at 11am to pick up a copy of Sleep Before Evening and meet Mrs Ball.