Lots Of Sex, Love, Nice Frocks and Swords

Posted on June 11, 2006 in Uncategorized

This is how Kate Mosse likes her books, and her latest novel, Labyrinth, has all of the above in abundance. Set in the city of Carcassonne, a restored medieval city in France, the narrative moves seamlessly between modern times and the thirteenth century. Centred on two female protagonists, Labyrinth is a grail adventure novel for girls, defining a new genre in literature and filling a gap in the market between Dan Brown, Wilbur Smith and Umberto Eco. 

Kate spoke to the SYP a few days before publication, so we were lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the book and have our copies signed. In these nervous times, Kate told us that she measures the success of her latest work in several ways, and not just in the most obvious: copies flying out of Waterstone’s, a decent placing in the weekly sales charts (‘even a tenth of Dan Brown’s sales!’) and a hefty royalty cheque at the end of the quarter. Kate would like to see holidaymakers reading it poolside, unable to put it down; she hopes readers enjoy learning about the background of the south-west of France without realising that they are being taught history; she would like to define a new genre, ‘girl adventure’; and finally she would like it to eventually replace the tour guide for the Carcassonne region.

Kate has both the blessing and the curse of being a former publisher. She said that she was thrilled that Orion, her UK publisher, and her foreign publishers ‘got’ her as an author and her book. A publisher’s enthusiasm and belief in a book is fundamental to its success, so Kate was delighted when the editing, design and publicity all came together and the pre-sales figures were promising. Yet whilst Kate knows what it means when a sales rep. rings her up to tell her they have just clinched a massive order, she would also understand the full impact for both her ‘letter of love to Carcassone’ and her reputation as an author and a respected literary commentator, if the sales figures didn’t bode well.

Another consequence of Kate being a publisher-turned-writer is that she has a unique insight into the dynamic between the financial, publicity machine that is the modern day publishing house and the creative genius, the author who strives to leave an indelible imprint on the world of literature. This can often be a testing relationship for both parties and when Kate was invited to give us young publishers some tips for dealing with authors, she answered in her usual straight-talking style. ‘I want communication and professionalism. I want them to be upfront with me, so that I know where I am and what they want. I don’t like to be mollycoddled. I can speak at events like this without a publicist. I can get a taxi on my own. Yet as well as being confident and independent, I can also be vulnerable and so I want my publisher to be thoughtful and ask my opinion about things.’

Following on from this question, Kate was asked if she wrote either as an author or as an editor. She firmly replied that she does both: when she writes, she writes ‘like a demon’, ten hours a day, seven days a week, minus regular breaks for a swim, which is apparently a must for writers. Yet when Kate finished Labyrinth, she realised she had written two books set in different time zones, and she had to edit, draft and revise as harshly and ruthlessly as us editors do. It is this combination of natural talent as a writer and acquired skill as an editor, coupled with her ambition and immediately-likeable personal character, that makes for Kate’s success.

Kate Mosse has had a past most of us interested in literature, the arts and culture can only dream of, as detailed in her article in the previous issue of InPrint. She delighted in telling us that she is only 43 and is taking over from Mariella on Open Book, Radio 4, this year. The future is bright, the future is…. Aware that she ‘didn’t want to wear padded shoulders for ever’ as a publisher, she has come into her own right as a successful author and is now willing to write on her passport application form in the ‘Occupation’ box: Writer. The advice she imparted to all writers is to wholeheartedly believe in yourself and of course, to swim. Her advice to us publishers is to realise how enormously lucky we are to get paid for reading books, particularly in such a well-established and respected publishing industry as exists in Britain today.