Having acknowledged that I have seven outstanding memes to do, my fancy has been taken by this one, which I have seen at the Hobgoblin’s, Dorothy’s and most lately at Emily’s blog. I think it’s because I am deep into writing a book that this seems particularly apposite.
10 Signs a Book Might be Written by Me
1. It will be a novel set in South Africa
2. There will be place detail: smells, sounds, sights, animals, landscape, weather
3. There will be at least one corrupt politician
4. There will be lots of characters, and I mean lots. As one of my cheerleaders said, “You’ve even got a backstory for the guy who runs the local corner shop.”
5. There will be some death, some love and some sex, but not too much
6. There won’t be any magic realism, teenage vampires, or confounding mysteries
7. There will be strong women and patriarchs
8. The prose will be story-driven
9. There will be large, complicated families
10. It will not be sentimental or rose-tinted
I tag Ms Tea Stains, Helen (if she hasn’t already done this), JadePark, Nova, (Un)Relaxeddad and Mortal Mom
Charlotte's Web 
February 16, 2008 at 8:56 am
Make it unique. One straight politician.
February 16, 2008 at 10:03 am
Ahoy! A member of my family turns up! Quelle miracle!
Good point, Jim, straight would be more unusual than corrupt.
February 16, 2008 at 11:35 am
This sounds great! And unlike my “novel,” this one is actually getting written! I like #10.
February 16, 2008 at 11:45 am
And when it’s done, I want a signed copy. 🙂
February 16, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Sounds like my kind of book!
February 16, 2008 at 4:53 pm
11. it will be read by me!
February 16, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I can’t wait to read it … need a proofreader?!!
February 16, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I love this meme! I’m doing it now. Thanks for tagging me 😉
p.s. I, too, want to read your book.
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February 16, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Can’t wait to read it!
February 17, 2008 at 6:40 am
I’ve already been tagged for this and still haven’t done it! I’m still at sixes and sevens with everything at the moment – thank you for spurring me into action. I’ll get round to this one soon, probably tomorrow because I need something inspiring.
I like the sound of your book, especially the corrupt politician. I can already imagine him! I’m the opposite of #6 (apart from the vampires – yuck). My mysteries are totally confounding me at the moment. I do strongly like the sound of #10, nothing senti-bottle. I don’t do books where everyone skips off into roses and rainbows.
February 17, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Uh-oh – another meme to add to my backlog! Actually, that’s going to be kind of interesting to reflect on…I wonder how many of mine are going to be polar opposites of yours?
February 20, 2008 at 2:36 pm
The lack of magic realism is a great relief. I can’t help feeling it’s a cop out for lack of plot. Also it makes me feel stupid because I never can quite understand what’s happening. It’s a ‘clap your hands if you believe in fairies’ kind of thing.
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April 7, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Brilliant meme – and great answers! I think I should do it for my own benefit so as to get an idea of this phantom book I always threaten to write. Cue rampant procrastination and crisis of confidence!! Quite glad about the lack of magical realism – it’s tricky to pull off and seeing as I’ve already read Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, House of the Spirits and One Hundred Years of Solitude in the past 12 months I’m not sure I want any more just yet (and OF COURSE I’ll be reading your book!)