The Girl on the Page
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Two women, two great betrayals, one path to redemption.
A punchy, powerful and page-turning novel about the redemptive power of great literature, from industry insider, John Purcell. Amy Winston is a hard-drinking, bed-hopping, hot-shot young book editor on a downward spiral. Having made her name and fortune by turning an average thriller writer into a Lee Child, Amy is given the unenviable task of steering literary great Helen Owen back to publication. When Amy knocks on the door of their beautiful townhouse in north west London, Helen and her husband, the novelist Malcolm Taylor, are conducting a silent war of attrition. The townhouse was paid for with the enormous seven figure advance Helen was given for the novel she wrote to end fifty years of making ends meets on critical acclaim alone. The novel Malcolm thinks unworthy of her. The novel Helen has yet to deliver. The novel Amy has come to collect. Amy has never faced a challenge like this one. Helen and Malcolm are brilliant, complicated writers who unsettle Amy into asking questions of herself - questions about what she values, her principles, whether she has integrity, whether she is authentic. Before she knows it, answering these questions becomes a matter of life or death. From ultimate book industry insider, John Purcell, comes a literary page-turner, a ferocious and fast-paced novel that cuts to the core of what it means to balance ambition and integrity, and the redemptive power of great literature. |
Reviews
'I read The Girl on the Page and loved it. Really great meta-satire... a fine piece of work.' Lee Child, international bestselling author of the Jack Reacher thrillers, most recently, Past Tense.
'Fizzy, ferocious and ice-pick sharp, packed with wit and heart – think The Devil Wears Prada by way of Bret Easton Ellis. Gulp it down. Or savour it slowly. Just read it.’ A.J. Finn, international bestselling author of The Woman in the Window.
'In The Girl on the Page, John Purcell triumphs with a scalpel in one hand and his heart in the other. It is a gripping, dark comedy of a novel which eviscerates the cynicism of contemporary publishing while uttering a cri du coeur for what is happening to writers and readers this century. Through this dark comedy - I squealed with laughter, page after page - flash questions about cultural life that Purcell asks but leaves us to ponder.' Blanche d'Alpuget, author of Winter in Jerusalem, Turtle Beach and Robert J. Hawke: a biography.
'It’s a slick, sharp novel about books and relationships, drenched in delicious insider detail from the book industry. Impossible not to enjoy.' Matt Haig, bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive, Notes on a Nervous Planet and How to Stop Time.
'The Girl On The Page: it’s like getting on a fast-'moving train or maybe a rocket, filled with people who love books as much as you do! You cannot and don’t want to get off, following every dynamic, insatiable, brilliant character right to the stunning end.' Caroline Overington, bestselling author of The Ones You Trust, The Lucky One, I Came To Say Goodbye and many more.
Hilarious and heartbreaking ... I know people are going to enjoy this book as much as I did.' - Christian White, bestselling author of The Nowhere Child
'A juicy page turner that takes a scalpel to the literary world, written with deep insider intel and a gleeful sense of mischief, The Girl on the Page is a wickedly clever, razor-sharp satire of lust, betrayal and ambition.' Caroline Baum, broadcaster and author of Only.
‘A rollicking, sexy read about great fiction, trashy readers, writerly egos and the industry that feeds them all.' Michael Robotham, international bestselling author and Gold Dagger winner for Life or Death.
'I read this and loved it. Fast paced, clever, funny, seriously thought and talk provoking. Brilliant read. Oh...and there's quite a bit of sex too. Bonus.' Dervla McTiernan, bestselling author of The Ruin.
'John Purcell’s book is so genuine, rich with insider info. Super read.' Candice Fox, bestselling author of Crimson Lake, Never Never and Redemption Point, who James Patterson calls, 'A bright new star of crime fiction.’
'Laughed all the way through #TheGirlonthePage until suddenly I was bawling. Unputdownable. I dare you to make it last longer than a single sitting.' Felicity McLean, author of The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone, out in 2019.
'Hey I just this second finished reading this book and I LOVED IT. Couldn't put it down...' Annabel Crabb, TV presenter, author, journalist and star of Chat 10 Looks 3.
'Purcell has written a commercial paean to great literature, an elegy to words and reading, and to how books can make extraordinary demands of us.' Louise Swinn, The Australian.
'This is a very clever novel that acts out its own subject matter, namely the grey area between commercial fiction and literary fiction and the respective worth of each.' Kerryn Goldsworthy, Spectrum, The Sydney Morning Herald.
'On one level, it's a fast-paced and addictive page turner full of scandal and sex, smart quips and shock twists. But this is a book that operates on more than just one level. It also happens to be an eloquent ode to literature and a brilliant satire of the publishing industry.' Sarah McDuling, 9Honey
'There’s no crime element here, but the novel reads like a fast-paced thriller. Each of the three key players possesses an iron will, and their desires are all at cross-purposes. Something’s got to give. This sense of building pressure is what makes The Girl on the Page nearly impossible to put down.' India Lopez, NZ Booklovers
'A ripper read about the value of books.' Richard Glover, who presents the Drive show on ABC radio in Sydney, writes for Sydney Morning Herald and Washington Post and is the author of novels and non-fiction, including Flesh Wounds and The Land Before Avocado.
'For those who love reading and drama and wicked dark humour – and are curious about what goes on behind the scenes in publishing – The Girl on the Page is a must read. Purcell even gives us a list of favourite books for each character. A lovely way to end a deeply impressive book that has to be, if I’m not mistaken, one of the great reads of the year.' Better Reading.
'A superbly orchestrated and important novel.' Annabel Lawson, Country Style magazine.
Bookseller Reviews:
"You could strip The Girl on the Page of all its publishing insider juiciness; what remains is a searing take on integrity, commerce, and the consequences of compromise. Purcell is a born storyteller, having spent a lifetime surrounded by books and learning from the masters of the craft. The Girl on the Page is moving, hilarious, and ultimately heart-wrenching. It’s a love-letter to literature, sure; to its creators, and its readers. But it’s so much more than that, too." Simon McDonald, Potts Point Bookshop.
"Whilst questioning the very definition of what makes fiction commercial or literary, Purcell himself brilliantly genre-straddles, moving his novel from what starts as a comic romp to a serious rumination on literary integrity, commercial realities, ambition and the importance of flexibility and compromise both personally and professionally." Scott Whitmont, Lindfield Bookshop.
"There is perhaps no other industry in the world quite so bizarre as the publishing industry. Sweary self-help guides jostle for attention with Man Booker nominees on bookshop shelves worldwide as publishers desperately respond to our never-ending demand for content. So what’s a booklover to do? According to industry insider John Purcell, you write a book that’s ready to gleefully kick the legs out from underneath it all. Equal parts publishing exposé and literary love letter, The Girl on the Page is a masterful novel that does exactly that.
Malcolm and Helen Owen are two great authors on the brink of disaster. Helen has accepted a huge advance for her next literary masterpiece but the manuscript for that novel is anything but - to publish it would be the death knell for her reputation and possibly even her marriage. Enter Amy Winston, brilliant, beautiful and self-destructive, and Helen’s last hope to salvage her legacy. A Becky Sharpe for the millennial age who macheted her way into an editorial career, Amy breezes through life clouded in the heady haze of sex and champagne. When she’s not sleeping with mediocre thriller-writers she’s shaping them into bestselling authors, and it’s safe to say that she is entirely unprepared for dealing with two literary giants like Helen and Malcolm Owen. What began as an assignment to collect an overdue manuscript soon turns into the ultimate lesson: that a book is never just a book, it can quite literally change your life.
Any successful writer will tell you that you can’t feed yourself on critical acclaim alone - you will inevitably have to compromise your artistic integrity for survival at some point. It’s refreshing to finally read a book that acknowledges this and The Girl on the Page does so with a frankness that is bound to ruffle some feathers. It’s a provocative read, with lots to say about what it means to be a great writer but also how to be a great reader, especially in a world where so many books are written and marketed to appeal to a common denominator. This book could very easily be preachy or condescending in the wrong hands but it keeps its tongue firmly in cheek, letting the reader in on the joke every time with extraordinary irreverence. In doing so, it reminds us that a discerning reader is worth their weight in gold and it is all the richer for it.
The Girl on the Page is fierce, witty and whip-smart, with a beating heart and a furious love of great literature at its very core. It will make you laugh and it might just make you cry, but best of all it will remind you of why you love to read." Olivia Fricot, Angus & Robertson.
"A good book will keep you up late engrossed in the action. A great book will leave you to ponder and ruminate over the more tricky things in life with some new perspective. A truly special book (many people will read only one or two of these in a lifetime) will demolish your worldview and you’ll come out of the book seeing your whole life afresh.
Truly special books make a permanent imprint on who you are as person. They’re the books that we return to again and again and recommend for everyone to read regardless of taste. The Girl on the Page undoubtedly satisfies the criteria of good and great. For me, and for many of you, it will reach that third ultimate level – a truly special book." Ben Hunter, Booktopia.
'I couldn't put this down. Finished it and thought, 'what WAS that?' It deliberately mixes mass market, commercial, crude, dirty fiction with something beautiful and contemplative. John Purcell you have created an extraordinary thing.' Wardini Books, New Zealand
‘It is a stunner … The Girl on the Page is a novel about integrity; about the nature of the classic novel; and about choices. It is quite brilliant in both its characterisation and its execution. It is clever in its turns of plot and it is revealing in its insights into the minds of the protagonists. If you’ve not read this, I recommend you find a copy. It will not disappoint.’ Philip Cook, Dymocks Carindale
'Fizzy, ferocious and ice-pick sharp, packed with wit and heart – think The Devil Wears Prada by way of Bret Easton Ellis. Gulp it down. Or savour it slowly. Just read it.’ A.J. Finn, international bestselling author of The Woman in the Window.
'In The Girl on the Page, John Purcell triumphs with a scalpel in one hand and his heart in the other. It is a gripping, dark comedy of a novel which eviscerates the cynicism of contemporary publishing while uttering a cri du coeur for what is happening to writers and readers this century. Through this dark comedy - I squealed with laughter, page after page - flash questions about cultural life that Purcell asks but leaves us to ponder.' Blanche d'Alpuget, author of Winter in Jerusalem, Turtle Beach and Robert J. Hawke: a biography.
'It’s a slick, sharp novel about books and relationships, drenched in delicious insider detail from the book industry. Impossible not to enjoy.' Matt Haig, bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive, Notes on a Nervous Planet and How to Stop Time.
'The Girl On The Page: it’s like getting on a fast-'moving train or maybe a rocket, filled with people who love books as much as you do! You cannot and don’t want to get off, following every dynamic, insatiable, brilliant character right to the stunning end.' Caroline Overington, bestselling author of The Ones You Trust, The Lucky One, I Came To Say Goodbye and many more.
Hilarious and heartbreaking ... I know people are going to enjoy this book as much as I did.' - Christian White, bestselling author of The Nowhere Child
'A juicy page turner that takes a scalpel to the literary world, written with deep insider intel and a gleeful sense of mischief, The Girl on the Page is a wickedly clever, razor-sharp satire of lust, betrayal and ambition.' Caroline Baum, broadcaster and author of Only.
‘A rollicking, sexy read about great fiction, trashy readers, writerly egos and the industry that feeds them all.' Michael Robotham, international bestselling author and Gold Dagger winner for Life or Death.
'I read this and loved it. Fast paced, clever, funny, seriously thought and talk provoking. Brilliant read. Oh...and there's quite a bit of sex too. Bonus.' Dervla McTiernan, bestselling author of The Ruin.
'John Purcell’s book is so genuine, rich with insider info. Super read.' Candice Fox, bestselling author of Crimson Lake, Never Never and Redemption Point, who James Patterson calls, 'A bright new star of crime fiction.’
'Laughed all the way through #TheGirlonthePage until suddenly I was bawling. Unputdownable. I dare you to make it last longer than a single sitting.' Felicity McLean, author of The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone, out in 2019.
'Hey I just this second finished reading this book and I LOVED IT. Couldn't put it down...' Annabel Crabb, TV presenter, author, journalist and star of Chat 10 Looks 3.
'Purcell has written a commercial paean to great literature, an elegy to words and reading, and to how books can make extraordinary demands of us.' Louise Swinn, The Australian.
'This is a very clever novel that acts out its own subject matter, namely the grey area between commercial fiction and literary fiction and the respective worth of each.' Kerryn Goldsworthy, Spectrum, The Sydney Morning Herald.
'On one level, it's a fast-paced and addictive page turner full of scandal and sex, smart quips and shock twists. But this is a book that operates on more than just one level. It also happens to be an eloquent ode to literature and a brilliant satire of the publishing industry.' Sarah McDuling, 9Honey
'There’s no crime element here, but the novel reads like a fast-paced thriller. Each of the three key players possesses an iron will, and their desires are all at cross-purposes. Something’s got to give. This sense of building pressure is what makes The Girl on the Page nearly impossible to put down.' India Lopez, NZ Booklovers
'A ripper read about the value of books.' Richard Glover, who presents the Drive show on ABC radio in Sydney, writes for Sydney Morning Herald and Washington Post and is the author of novels and non-fiction, including Flesh Wounds and The Land Before Avocado.
'For those who love reading and drama and wicked dark humour – and are curious about what goes on behind the scenes in publishing – The Girl on the Page is a must read. Purcell even gives us a list of favourite books for each character. A lovely way to end a deeply impressive book that has to be, if I’m not mistaken, one of the great reads of the year.' Better Reading.
'A superbly orchestrated and important novel.' Annabel Lawson, Country Style magazine.
Bookseller Reviews:
"You could strip The Girl on the Page of all its publishing insider juiciness; what remains is a searing take on integrity, commerce, and the consequences of compromise. Purcell is a born storyteller, having spent a lifetime surrounded by books and learning from the masters of the craft. The Girl on the Page is moving, hilarious, and ultimately heart-wrenching. It’s a love-letter to literature, sure; to its creators, and its readers. But it’s so much more than that, too." Simon McDonald, Potts Point Bookshop.
"Whilst questioning the very definition of what makes fiction commercial or literary, Purcell himself brilliantly genre-straddles, moving his novel from what starts as a comic romp to a serious rumination on literary integrity, commercial realities, ambition and the importance of flexibility and compromise both personally and professionally." Scott Whitmont, Lindfield Bookshop.
"There is perhaps no other industry in the world quite so bizarre as the publishing industry. Sweary self-help guides jostle for attention with Man Booker nominees on bookshop shelves worldwide as publishers desperately respond to our never-ending demand for content. So what’s a booklover to do? According to industry insider John Purcell, you write a book that’s ready to gleefully kick the legs out from underneath it all. Equal parts publishing exposé and literary love letter, The Girl on the Page is a masterful novel that does exactly that.
Malcolm and Helen Owen are two great authors on the brink of disaster. Helen has accepted a huge advance for her next literary masterpiece but the manuscript for that novel is anything but - to publish it would be the death knell for her reputation and possibly even her marriage. Enter Amy Winston, brilliant, beautiful and self-destructive, and Helen’s last hope to salvage her legacy. A Becky Sharpe for the millennial age who macheted her way into an editorial career, Amy breezes through life clouded in the heady haze of sex and champagne. When she’s not sleeping with mediocre thriller-writers she’s shaping them into bestselling authors, and it’s safe to say that she is entirely unprepared for dealing with two literary giants like Helen and Malcolm Owen. What began as an assignment to collect an overdue manuscript soon turns into the ultimate lesson: that a book is never just a book, it can quite literally change your life.
Any successful writer will tell you that you can’t feed yourself on critical acclaim alone - you will inevitably have to compromise your artistic integrity for survival at some point. It’s refreshing to finally read a book that acknowledges this and The Girl on the Page does so with a frankness that is bound to ruffle some feathers. It’s a provocative read, with lots to say about what it means to be a great writer but also how to be a great reader, especially in a world where so many books are written and marketed to appeal to a common denominator. This book could very easily be preachy or condescending in the wrong hands but it keeps its tongue firmly in cheek, letting the reader in on the joke every time with extraordinary irreverence. In doing so, it reminds us that a discerning reader is worth their weight in gold and it is all the richer for it.
The Girl on the Page is fierce, witty and whip-smart, with a beating heart and a furious love of great literature at its very core. It will make you laugh and it might just make you cry, but best of all it will remind you of why you love to read." Olivia Fricot, Angus & Robertson.
"A good book will keep you up late engrossed in the action. A great book will leave you to ponder and ruminate over the more tricky things in life with some new perspective. A truly special book (many people will read only one or two of these in a lifetime) will demolish your worldview and you’ll come out of the book seeing your whole life afresh.
Truly special books make a permanent imprint on who you are as person. They’re the books that we return to again and again and recommend for everyone to read regardless of taste. The Girl on the Page undoubtedly satisfies the criteria of good and great. For me, and for many of you, it will reach that third ultimate level – a truly special book." Ben Hunter, Booktopia.
'I couldn't put this down. Finished it and thought, 'what WAS that?' It deliberately mixes mass market, commercial, crude, dirty fiction with something beautiful and contemplative. John Purcell you have created an extraordinary thing.' Wardini Books, New Zealand
‘It is a stunner … The Girl on the Page is a novel about integrity; about the nature of the classic novel; and about choices. It is quite brilliant in both its characterisation and its execution. It is clever in its turns of plot and it is revealing in its insights into the minds of the protagonists. If you’ve not read this, I recommend you find a copy. It will not disappoint.’ Philip Cook, Dymocks Carindale
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More on The Girl on the Page
Catherine Milne, Head of Fiction publishing at HarperCollins Australia: From ultimate industry insider, John Purcell, comes that rare thing, a literary page-turner, a witty, razor-sharp novel that cuts to the core of what it means to balance ambition and integrity. Set in in the world of publishing in contemporary London, with lashings of sex, glamour, bad behaviour – not to mention so many wicked publishing insider references – The Girl on the Page is a muscular, juicy and provocative novel, with an ending that genuinely shocked and deeply moved me. But the real joy of this novel isn’t just that it’s a compulsively readable page-turner (which it is), but that at heart it’s also a deeply serious, thoughtful novel, which asks searching questions about integrity, commerce and literature. John Purcell has written a novel that is all about the redemptive power of great literature – and the disastrous consequences when we seek to compromise that greatness.
John Purcell: The characters came to me whole. I felt more like their biographer than creator. The challenge faced by my characters is one we are all facing. Do we take the money and stay silent or do we forgo fame and fortune to stay true to what is right and good? In my current role I have worked closely with people from all the major publishing houses and most of the boutique ones, too. I have interviewed Booker Prize winners and celebrities, chatted with authors who have sold hundreds of millions of books and laughed with nervous debut authors. Though perspectives change, the question of integrity is important to them all. It is this complexity I have attempted to depict in my novel.’
John Purcell: The characters came to me whole. I felt more like their biographer than creator. The challenge faced by my characters is one we are all facing. Do we take the money and stay silent or do we forgo fame and fortune to stay true to what is right and good? In my current role I have worked closely with people from all the major publishing houses and most of the boutique ones, too. I have interviewed Booker Prize winners and celebrities, chatted with authors who have sold hundreds of millions of books and laughed with nervous debut authors. Though perspectives change, the question of integrity is important to them all. It is this complexity I have attempted to depict in my novel.’