'Carnal acts' : from theory to publication

Abstract

The first part of the thesis comprises Chapters 1 to 40 of the novel, written under a pseudonym, followed by a synopsis of the remaining chapters, 41 to 155. The potential jacket copy will refer to the protagonists, a male and a female detective.

The second part of the thesis is a critical study of the novel. Literary theory and critical methods are used to investigate the writing process and to explicate the text’s layers of meaning, not all of which were clear to the author at the time of writing. Chapter 1 considers literary and creative writing theory, paying particular attention to conceptualisations of author and reader. In Chapter 2, the chosen pseudonym is explained and compared with those of other authors; the novel’s title is also examined. Chapter 3 covers the issue of genre, looking at theories and discussing both crime novel and Gothic fiction. In Chapter 4, critical approaches to character are applied. Chapter 5 does the same with plot. Chapters 6 and 7 take account of the manifestations of power. Chapter 6 covers the body and gender, while Chapter 7 deals with race and class. As a conclusion, Chapter 8 describes how the first draft was transformed to one acceptable for publication.