‘I’ll try any synonym under the sun’: Jacqueline Bublitz’s crimes against language

I was so impressed by the big reveal in All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. But it was also kind of painful, because I wish I’d thought of it myself. This is an occupational hazard when it comes to reading these days, although most of the time it’s a healthy kind of envy, because it inspires me to get going with my own work.

Everyone should read

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. This is a book I return to every few years, and I fall more in love with the protagonist, Janie Crawford, every time. The novel is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance era, and as a love story exploring race, identity, and gender roles, it’s still as resonant today. Hurston is an iconic personality, and a beautiful writer, and I’m so grateful I was introduced to her work when I was younger.

The book I want to be buried with

I want to be cremated, so I think I’d have to choose my own books. Cremate us together, so all those words I wrote return to where they came from. There’s a nice symmetry to that, in a macabre sort of way, don’t you think?

But if I was to be buried, I’d choose A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit. It’s a love letter to wandering off to find yourself. And one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.

The first book I remember reading by myself

There was a book I inherited from my big sisters called Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink that I took so seriously as a little kid. Mary and Jean were young girls who got shipwrecked on a deserted island – with four infants. I used to pretend my bed was a small boat adrift at sea whenever I’d read it. I’d have my rations (i.e. my afternoon tea) and I’d pretend our dog, Lucky, was a baby stranded on the boat with me. That’s the first book I can remember truly loving, at least. And I still feel the lure of a deserted island to this day.

The book I pretend I’ve read

I’ve started A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara at least five times. I always get around 100 pages in, before I put it down again. I can’t even say why, given how well-written and compelling the story is. I will get to the other 600 or so remaining pages one day and, until then, I just sort of smile and nod when people talk about how this book broke them into pieces. Given my reading tastes, it really doesn’t make sense that I still haven’t read beyond the beginning, so I never admit that I haven’t finished it yet. Well… until now.

It’s a crime against language to

Oh god, I have so many quirks when it comes to language. My dear friend Bruno is the keeper of my list of worst words. As in he has an actual list of words I cannot use, or hear, and do not like to read, and it’s long! Most of the words are related to euphemisms for body parts and for sex. I physically shudder when I read any of these words on the page … but I’m not going to share any of them here. Just know I’ll try any synonym under the sun before I’ll use the M-word in my own books (rhymes with hoist).

The book that made me cry

I read Betty by Cherokee author, Tiffany McDaniel, not long after my dad died. There are some moments about fathers, and girl-dads in particular, that are so deeply moving, I would have to go for a walk around the block between chapters, before I could keep reading. It’s such a treasure of a book, and it came to me at just the right time. I highly recommend reading this coming-of-age story – if you don’t mind the occasional Oprah-worthy ugly cry along the way.

The book character I never believed

I never got why Scarlett O’Hara (Gone with the Wind) was so fixated on Ashley Wilkes. I mean, really?! I was definitely a Rhett Butler stan as a 14-year-old. Now I understand that whole crew was problematic, but at the time, I was very invested in that triangle, and I couldn’t believe the choices Scarlett kept making. Some trivia: Ash in my first novel is named for Mr. Wilkes, as a throwback to this early obsession with bad decisions.

The book I wish would be adapted for film or TV

When I read books, I don’t really see the characters (I’m one of those people who can’t form pictures in their mind). But I’m going to choose the recently released Rapture by Emily Maguire, because it’s such an evocative book, and there are some truly great sex scenes that I wouldn’t mind seeing set to sweeping music. As to who I’d like to see in those scenes, most of the actors I love are at least 80 now, or dead. Maybe Florence Pugh and Paul Mescal. They’re both so good in everything they do.

The most underrated book

Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift is a novel about a woman who may be the lone survivor of a global pandemic. It was released during Covid times, when there wasn’t exactly an appetite for this kind of story, which is a real shame, because it’s just brilliant. Funny, poignant, and very clever. I have no doubt this book will eventually find her audience, though. Everyone I’ve recommended it to has loved it.

Greatest New Zealand writer

To me, one of the greatest New Zealand writers, and certainly one of the nicest, is my fellow New Plymouth resident David Hill (CNZM). Authors who engage young readers are my absolute heroes. And I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time talking shop with David these past few years. He’s so generous and supportive of up-and-comers like me. We are very lucky to have him.

Best food memory from a book

This one is easy: I’ve been obsessed with Turkish Delight ever since the White Witch lured Edmund with a box of it in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I was seven or eight when I first read that book, and I remember that when I had my first Fry’s pink and gold wrapped Turkish Delight bar, I immediately understood why Edmund kept coming back for more. This is a core memory from my childhood (which might have been altered if I’d tried the authentic version… or understood more about the symbolism, at the time).

Best place to read

I’ve always loved reading on planes. There’s nothing better than hearing the pilot announce your descent, and you haven’t even noticed how much time has passed, because you’ve been so immersed in a book. I love seeing what other people on my flight are reading too. The dream is to see someone with one of my own books and I’ll keep awkwardly peering across the aisle until that happens.

What are you reading right now

I’m reading around seven books at once, including All Fours by Miranda July, Kataraina by Becky Manawatu, and Sewing Moonlight by Kyle Mewburn. Because I’m in the thick of research for my next book, I don’t get a lot of time to read fiction at the moment, hence the multi-tasking when it comes to my TBR pile. There are just so many good stories out there, especially from local writers, and I sometimes wish I could just put my finger on a cover, to absorb the whole book at once. I need more time – but don’t we all.

Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz ($38, Allen & Unwin) is available to purchase through Unity Books.