Book cover for Jane Feaver's collection of short stories.

Student’s short stories published

‘Love Me Tender’ a collection of short stories by Jane Feaver was written during the first year of her PhD and has been published this month by Harvill Secker.

There will be a launch on 13 May at the University of Exeter (Queens Building) at 18:00hrs where Jane will be talking about her work and giving a reading from her book.

Jane is a mature student who initially came to Exeter to study for an MA in Creative Writing following the publication of her first novel ‘According to Ruth’. The move from working full time in the Poetry Department of Faber and Faber and then at the charity, Farms for City Children to academic study was positive. She says: ‘The MA was a great help in propelling me forwards and in finding new ground. It provided discipline and support as well as helping me to hone my critical facilities. I also enjoyed being forced into areas I might not otherwise have ventured into, like poetry. 

She adds, ‘The framework and time was useful to me after the loneliness of pursuing my first novel whilst in a full time job and brining up my daughter, squeezing the writing into evenings.’

The collection of linked short stories is set in and around a village in Devon where there is more going on in rural Buckleigh than meets the eye. The village is distinguished by its Silver Band, but where it soon becomes clear that the neighbourliness and sense of community the Band represents are as much a curse as a blessing.

It is a major achievement to get creative writing published in what is considered an extremely difficult area to break into, English lecturer, Sam North comments, ‘It is very unusual for a student to be published and by a major publishing company. It is rare and creative writing can be a difficult business to get noticed in, therefore it is a great achievement. We are so proud to see Jane succeed in this way and her success is a boost to everyone in the School of English.’

Writing short stories is extremely satisfying according to Jane, she said ‘I like the fact that they end more quickly than a novel does.  It is much easier to see if you are on a false trail or not, sooner. I like their elliptical and snapshot quality, it’s the challenge of stuffing a life into a moment.’

Jane is currently in her second year of her PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Exeter.

Date: 13 May 2009