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 March 2009 Marian is frantic trying to finish editing her new book, while promoting the paperback of This Charming Man, so is unable to do a newsletter this month. But here are some of the things she did. She was part of the creative writing weekend at Harvey's Point with the great Patrick Kearney, and the fabulous Christopher Brookmyre. She enjoyed it hugely, and believes that the participants did too. Marian met the unbelievably talented singer VV Brown: What happens when the undisputed 'Queen of international women's fiction', Marian Keyes, meets 2009's fastest rising and hottest 'must hear retro diva' V V Brown? It is a story of mutual respect, shared interests and of course, prodigious talent that brings them together.  On March 2nd V V Brown releases on Island Records her eagerly awaited debut single 'LEAVE!' alongside a cover version of 'THIS CHARMING MAN' by The Smiths. The inspiration for V V's version of the song is Marian Keyes' novel, This Charming Man. Speaking of the inspiration behind 'LEAVE!' she says - 'LEAVE!' is about being intoxicated and confused by being in love and the conflict between listening to your heart and your mind.' V V will perform a short reading from the novel which will be available as part of the single bundle. It was the trademark honesty which struck a chord with V V who was introduced to Marian's work by Women's Aid, a charity both artists care about. As part of their collaboration, Marian and V V have made the following statement on the eve of World Book Day and International Women's Day: "Some women have probably never heard of Women's Aid - and they're the lucky ones - they've never experienced domestic violence, and so they've never needed to know about Women's Aid, and to look for their help. But 1 in 4 women in Britain and Ireland will experience domestic abuse at some stage in their lives. That's an awful lot of us, but despite the high number, the subject is still taboo. Most victims suffer terrible shame, and often feel no help is available for them. But Women's Aid is just a phone call away, facilitating a wide range of services from simply providing a sympathetic ear to enabling a woman to leave her situation and start a new life with safety and dignity." Island Records will donate 10p from every 79p download to Women's Aid. Penguin and Island Records are each making a 7pound;1000 flat donation to the charity. EXCLUSIVE LONDON EVENT: Marian and V V are appearing at Borders Bookshop at 1pm, Thursday March 5th. The event will include 'in conversation', Marian reading and a live set from VV including her debut performance of This Charming Man! Entrance Free. Borders, 203 Oxford Street, London W1D 2LE We hope Marian will be able to write a newsletter next month, although March is already looking very busy. Hope you have a great one, Slán The Marian Keyes Team Highlights this month Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Apologies for crappy February letter! Much happens! Beset with insomnia! A cairdre, a cairdre, La Fheila Padraig duit! (That means, happy Saint Patricks Day, mes amies.) This is just a shamefully short thing because I'm still editing The Brightest Star in the Sky and as they say in those shouty ads for 50% off sales for leather three pieces suites, THIS MADNESS MUST END SOON!!! If I wasn't such a meticulous Virgo swot, I could have downed me pen months ago and could at this very moment be dying Himself green and going in to town, wearing half a tree on my lapel, to see the parade. But I'll soldier on, really the end is in sight, but I couldn't let the moment pass without thanking you in the UK for the ASTONISHING paperback sales of This Charming Man - over 40 thousand in the first 2 days and straight in at number 1. I am SO HAPPY. Thank you thank you thank you for your incredible kindness to me, especially in these frankly apocalyptic times. And for you to support a book that tries to explain what it's like to be a victim of domestic violence, you are so very very decent and this just makes me extra happy and grateful. Also - and this is such an honour - This Charming Man been nominated in the British Book Awards, in the popular fiction section and Himself will do his fiendish technological jiggery-pokery and put up a link to it, if you felt like voting. Naturally you may prefer some of the other nominees and if you felt like voting for them instead, work away, they're all great. Finally, my insomnia has gone into overdrive. It's a fecking scourge, no? Sleep is such a beautiful, beautiful thing. Free. Healing. Entertaining (if you're lucky enough to have vivid dreams.) When it's taken from me, I suffer. The thing is I feel it's like a shy, fey, mystical creature, that it's actually afraid of me and that I have to attract it into my orbit with treats for it, like mint tea and lavender oil and valerian and milky drinks. And I also feel that it only 'comes out' for a certain time every night. Basically I go to bed very early - no messing, about 10pm - and Himself stays downstairs eating crisps and watching Grand Designs and fashioning fan letters to Kevin McCloud. I lie in my bed and call softly to sleep and sometimes it comes and sometimes it doesn't BUT if it hasn't come to me by the time Himself comes to bed, I feel like I've missed my window of opportunity and I might have to spend the whole night lying awake. Oh the dread, the dread, a cairde, when I hear the sound of Himself's electric toothbrush! Because that means that in 2 minutes time, Himself is going to come stumbling into the dark room and climb into bed and be asleep 3 seconds later, while I am doomed to stare into the darkness and think terrible thoughts - thoughts I'd never normally think in the happy light of day - and wait for dawn. Anyway, thank you again and I'll be in proper touch soon. Hey, isn't it nice that it's Spring. Yesterday, I felt really weird all day, I didn't know what was wrong with me - and then it dawned on me. It was Spring! There was light and sunshine and a certain mildness to the air and daffodils knocking around and all was hopeful. It's been so long coming that I think I'd just decided it was going to be Winter forever. Surely some sort of metaphor...? Thanks, thank, thanks! Hope you're all well and I'll write again at the end of March Lots of love Marian xxxxxxxxxxxxx |
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Photo © Neil Cooper