Anna Jones Buttimore

I had a new book idea on Saturday. And, like my third book, Easterfield, this one feels as though it's writing itself. I can't get it out of my head, and new ideas keep appearing and begging to be committed to words. But unlike Easterfield, this isn't a book I'm going to enjoy writing. In fact, it's going to be difficult and unpleasant, and if it gets published, many readers are going to be upset and challenged by what they read. To give you some idea of why that might be, here's my proposed backliner: Jeanette Hesketh is thrilled when her missionary son, Harley, returns home. It’s five years to the day since her husband died, and with Harley back at home in London with his mother and teenage sister her forever family feels as near to complete as it ever could this side of the veil. But Harley hasn’t been home for long before he announces that he’s been “saved” and is forsaking his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Not only that, b...

"Profanity is the attempt of a feeble mind to express itself forcefully." I love words. I'm pretentious enough to enjoy calling myself a wordsmith. I like the way a collection of carefully chosen words, when printed, can move people to tears, or anger, or change lives. There are some very beautiful words in the English language which convey meaning both with their sound and their associations: effervescent, tributary, elegant. But there are also some very ugly words used to shock and offend, to convey the meanness or toughness of the speaker, or to be controversial. Most of them have four letters, and I can smugly say that I know that I have never uttered most of them. I have a policy of removing from my friends list anyone who swears on Facebook. I am personally offended by swearing, and I don't need to be brought down by switching on my computer to catch up with news of friends and family, and being confronted with vulgarity. There are several reasons why I object t...