Barbara Else is a best-selling writer in many genres. She was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature in 2005 and holds the Margaret Mahy Medal for services to children’s literature. She was the Writing Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka in 1999 and the University of Otago College of Education/Creative New Zealand Children’s Writing Fellow in 2016. Her work has had overseas publication, won national and international awards and been shortlisted for major prizes. Barbara talks to NZ Booklovers.
Tell us a little about The Pets We Have Killed.
I should probably make it clear that no pets were harmed in the making of the collection.
The book grew itself, very like the way some people find themselves a pet without meaning to. You know, a stray hangs around the garden for a while, you begin to feed and tend it and, before you’re truly aware, there’s a new member of the family. In this case, it became the equivalent of a houseful.
Most of the stories focus on families, maybe friends or romantic relationships. Some are serious, some with more humour. Most are built around moments in everyday life, little moments that expose or even explode into far more than you might expect — which is what happens all the time in daily life. The pieces each show at least a glint of how is it to be female.
The opening story begins in 1914. The final one is set in a future where relationships between men and women have to be arranged very differently from the way they are now.
What inspired you to write this collection of short stories?
After my memoir (Laughing at the Dark) was published I was keen to return to writing fiction for adults. Several ideas were nudging around. It seemed a good idea to explore them in short pieces, to testing out some unused creative muscles. It was challenging and fun.
What research was involved?
A few pieces such as ‘Darkling’ and ‘Our New Elections’ needed research. Each one grew from something I’d read about and decided to explore further. Otherwise, each story needed at least one small detail to help pin down the decade in which it's set.
What was your routine or process when writing this book?
It was unusual for me to have several pieces of writing on the go at the same time. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Each story developed at its own pace. Some arrived quickly, almost fully formed. More often there was a lot of rewriting, refining, setting-aside with a sigh to work on another one, before returning to the first several weeks later.
If a soundtrack were made to accompany this book, name a song or two you would include.
Each story would need its own song. For example —
‘I’m all Shook Up,’ Elvis Presley, for ‘The Huntington Road Girls’
‘Call Me’ by Blondie for ‘Thrall’
Maybe Taylor Swift ’s ‘Anti-hero’ for ‘Moonbeams.’
Feminist anthems would definitely ring out.
If you had to choose, what is your favourite story and why?
‘Thrall’ is a favourite. It sums up a significant aspect of female experience for women who went through the eighties and nineties. They assimilated a lot of second wave feminism. However, vast numbers of men in positions of power still had their feet firm in the pre-feminist concrete of male dominance, absolutely certain they would never be budged.
What did you enjoy the most about writing this collection?
I loved getting to grips with the way to focus each piece, experimenting with a variety of structures and voices.
The best moment came when I decided to scavenge around for any old short stories, published and unpublished, worth looking at again. Several fitted well thematically with the new ones and I realised there could be enough to make a collection.
At that point I also realised how to arranging the pieces, from the earliest setting up to the current day and on to a possible future.
What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?
I think I was too bemused to celebrate when it was ready to send off. Although there was a bottle of champagne when the contract was signed. Then another when I’d completed the editing and proofreading with Jane Parkin then Antoinette Wilson.
What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
The top memorable three novels for me are —
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett for nostalgia about the Seventies and American theatre. I loved it.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey for sheer beauty of the writing and the astonishing blend of research with the feelings and thoughts of the characters.
For NZ fiction, Ash by Louise Wallace. It’s so funny, so clever and experimental, and so true.
What’s next on the agenda for you?
Ideas for an adult novel are hanging around. I suspect any day they’ll be nudging me back to the keyboard.