Lumen Winter 2013 - Flipbook - Page 23
story by Genevieve Sanchez
Rejection by traditional publishing companies did not deter
Anna Solding from her goal of becoming an author – instead, she
and two fellow graduates started their own publishing company.
A
nd Anna’s belief in another
Adelaide alumnus, James Roberts
(aka Zanesh Catkin) helped him
to realise his own dreams of being a
published writer when she put his first
novel on the shelves last year.
In 2011, despite Anna’s book The Hum
of Concrete being shortlisted for multiple
awards, it was still not being picked
up by publishers.
Anna lamented the constant rejections
with good friend, Mathematics and
Computer Science graduate and
entrepreneur, Dr Ross Williams, who
suggested they start their own publishing
company and together with another
alumnus, Peter Cassidy, they formed
MidnightSun Publishing.
“We know there are plenty of fabulous
manuscripts about unusual topics floating
around, but publishing new and unknown
writers poses a big risk. MidnightSun is
prepared to take that risk,” says Anna.
“The large publishing houses are
quite conservative today which is
understandable as these are very tough
times for traditional publishing with the
demise of local bookshops and the rise of
self-publishing. Even though printing costs
are increasing, readers are expecting
to buy books for less. This turmoil and
conservatism has left room for smaller
publishers to shine.”
And both publisher and authors have
done just that.
Anna’s novel The Hum of Concrete
– the major part of her PhD in Creative
Writing – was launched to endorsements
by Nobel Laureate, J.M. Coetzee
and acclaimed novelist, Brian Castro;
shortlisted for the Unpublished Manuscript
Award at the Festival Awards in 2010 and
is currently nominated for the People’s
Choice Award.
Both The Hum of Concrete and
Zanesh’s novel Pangamonium have
been longlisted for the prestigious
Commonwealth Book Prize. MidnightSun
Publishing’s newest release, Kim Lock’s
novel Peace, Love and Khaki Socks is
about to be launched and has already
received rave reviews.
“The Hum of Concrete has had so many
remarkable reviews and every positive
review has made me happier and more
confident that I can do this,” says Anna.
Anna came to Adelaide in 1999
on a one-year university exchange
from Sweden. She discovered the
Masters in Creative Writing which led
to a PhD. Fourteen years and three
children later, Anna is more than happily
settled in Australia.
She considers herself fortunate to have
been among a “hothouse of writers” in her
time at the University of Adelaide – among
them many published and prize-winning
authors she now calls friends.
“The University of Adelaide not only
shaped my career but also my life,”
Anna says.
“Studying Creative Writing made me feel
like I was part of a larger writing family;
that writing was a worthwhile pursuit
which could generate an income (at least
in the shape of a scholarship) and that
no matter how scary it was to put myself
out there, it was the fear of failure that
I most needed to face before I could
call myself a writer.”
Anna recalls the celebratory feeling of
launching her own publishing company,
surrounded by a huge, supportive group
of people at the SA Writers’ Centre.
“Standing on the stage at Writers’
Week seeing my first novel The Hum of
Concrete take flight has had the most
profound impact on me, as that was truly
a childhood dream come true,” she says.
“Every time I see my novel on the
shelves of a library or a bookshop, my
heart does a little dance.”
As one of her biggest supporters,
Zanesh, also a graduate from the
University’s PhD in Creative Writing,
says he is keen to see Anna’s
success continue.
“I am proud of Anna for having the
courage to start a publishing company
in this climate of gloom and doom in the
book world,” he says.
“She backed her belief in the quality
of her writing and mine, when we
had both been knocked back by
mainstream publishers. The fact that
both our books have been longlisted
for the Commonwealth Book Prize is a
confirmation that her judgement is sound.
“Getting my PhD novel published
was the biggest highlight of my life
post-university.”
Zanesh’s exegesis of his first novel,
The Ludic Mode of Pangamonium, is the
third title published by MidnightSun and
he is currently working on his second
novel, The Troubadour – an adaptation of
his Honours thesis for which he won the
Driftwood Manuscripts Prize.
“It is always exciting to get the
recognition of your peers, and since
writing can be solitary it does remind
you that there are others out there who
appreciate your craft,” says Zanesh.
Working full-time as Series Producer
with Australia Network, the ABC’s
International Broadcasting Service,
Zanesh says that the best he can hope for
is an hour a day of writing time.
“The best part is when the writing flows
easily and you don’t want to stop. The
challenges are working through flat spots
and avoiding the scourge of rejection
letters,” he says.
Anna also attests to the challenges and
rewards of being a writer and although
she has put her writing to one side
while she focuses on the publication
of MidnightSun’s latest novel, she has
tentatively started work on a new book.
“Sitting down and actually putting pen
to paper is always the biggest challenge.
The distractions are endless…for most
writers I know, writing doesn’t actually
come easily – it’s a long, hard slog.”
“But at the same time, it is the most
rewarding and wonderful thing you
could ever do.”
Left: Zanesh Catkin and
Anna Solding in the Barr
Smith Library
Photo by Keturah de Klerk
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 21
