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Magazine maven draws on past in debut novel
Vanessa Raphaely was editor of Cosmopolitan magazine for 16 years, becoming Editorial and then Content Director of Associate Magazines, a company started by her mother and the queen of women’s magazines, Jane Raphaely. Now, Vanessa has penned her debut novel (although she has also written a children’s book). She describes it as “a fast-paced, twisty, page-turner, with a proper slap in the face of an ending!” She lives in Cape Town, and has also launched The Village Facebook group. The SA Jewish Report asks her questions.
OWN CORRESPONDENT
Summarise what Plus One is about?
The book is about two best friends. The first, Lisa Lassister, is a high-flying South African magazine journalist, living, working and playing in London. Her best friend is Claudia Hemmingway, who is a charming, but complicated movie star, whose career, as the book begins, is about to take off.
One weekend – as young women like them often do – they find themselves on a yacht in Mykonos. They are in the company of assorted rich “lucky sperm [the sons and daughters, of billionaires]” and one very, very powerful Hollywood producer.
Everyone on the yacht, it seems, is harbouring secrets. In the midst of a particularly wild party, someone dies. The after-effects of that weekend haunt both women for years. The novel touches on the themes of female friendship, the #MeToo movement, the discrepancy of power between men and women, how crippling guilt can be, and what is lost when fame is valued above everything else.
Why did you decide to write a book?
I always said I wouldn’t write a book, because I feared that I would not be able to write a good one. I am a proper “super fan” of authors. I love and respect good writing, and just didn’t have the confidence to try, as I knew I would judge my own writing harshly. And I do. But at this stage in my life, it seems stupid to let fear of embarrassing myself stand in the way of a dream, and I did always secretly dream that I would have at least one book in me.
Did you find the process challenging?
I wrote and rewrote Plus One sixteen times. Without the help and support of many people – most notably my editor, Alison Lowry, and my agent, Nadine Rubin Nathan – I would have ditched it somewhere around the third draft, and never attempted another.
Writing novels is hard – much harder than you imagine. Slogging through my last three drafts felt as if I was wading through mud. You’re basically alone with your self-doubt, boredom, and embarrassment. But now that it’s finished and published, all I want to do is get the next one out of the starting blocks. Writing fiction is addictive.
What does it mean to have written a book?
It’s a fantastic feeling, I’m not going to lie. Getting a book published is the fulfilment of one of my dreams – that’s like a 95% perfect feeling. If I could actually make a living from writing books, I’d be feeling 100%.
Is the story autobiographical?
I had a couple of boyfriends in my twenties who were and still are big shots in Hollywood. I worked and lived in London on magazines for 10 years and hung around with way too many famous people.
Without the book being autobiographical, I did write what I know. That’s what you’re told to do in your first novel! But, I’ve got to be absolutely clear that the sex scenes are not based on real life. I have teenagers who are scarred enough by the experience of reading those scenes in the book without suspecting they are true to life. And then, I’m extremely sad to say that most of the #MeToo stuff will be familiar territory to many women. That’s a life experience many of us share.
Does the book reflect your time in the glamorous magazine industry?
Yes, it does, but it is very carefully set in a particular moment and place. I loved my very long and happy career in the business, and am careful to make it clear that the monsters of the ghastly VIVID (the fictional publishing house in Plus One) bear no resemblance to the wonderful women and men I worked with throughout my career.
What is your advice to anyone who wants to write a book, and/or get into the magazine industry?
Approach both industries with realistic, not romantic expectations! If you want to get rich, best you head for a hedge fund instead.
Does the book have any Jewish characters or themes?
No Jewish themes in Plus One. I’m saving those for the second novel. That one’s about a nice middle-aged Jewish soccer mom with a very surprising side hustle…
Do any of the scenes take place in South Africa?
Yes. Lisa returns to South Africa, from London, heals, and regains her sense of self back home.
Tell us about the success of the Facebook group you started, The Village:
The Village is a phenomenon. It’s a Facebook group for parents of tweens and teens, with 22 000 members currently. It has consistent engagement of 87%, and most surprising of all for a social media community, it’s really kind. It’s helpful, supportive, and useful. It’s really rewarding to be a part of something that actually helps people. Being involved with The Village is a really good feeling.