With debut novel, Seattle Times critic Moira Macdonald gets the treatment from Jamie Ford - and it’s quite the review
The tables have turned on longtime Seattle Times arts critic Moira Macdonald.
For that matter, they’ve turned on bestselling New York Times author Jamie Ford, too.
The two are set to take the Northwest Passages stage together Tuesday night in Spokane, but it won’t be Ford talking about one of his acclaimed novels, such as “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,” or his more recent work “The Many Daughters of Afong Moy.” Instead he will be the one asking questions of an author.
“It is actually quite surreal,” Macdonald acknowledged ahead of Tuesday’s Northwest Passages conversation with Ford.
Her debut novel “Storybook Ending” is a light rom-com celebrating a love of books. The reviews rolling in haven’t been negative so far, but the critic-turned-author is still holding her breath.
“It’s odd being on the other side,” she said. “ The few (reviews) that I’ve seen have mostly been really nice. I’ve seen a few on social media that’s maybe more critical.
“But you know as a critic you know there’s not a work that everybody’s gonna love,” she said.
Well, Ford sure liked it.
“Storybook Ending is so radiant, so big-hearted, reading it feels like receiving an unexpected gift,” Ford said of Macdonald’s book. “In a world filled with love stories and tangled triangles, this one stands out – reaching a resolution as unique as it is profoundly satisfying. I absolutely loved this book.”
Ford knows Macdonald through a 2017 Seattle Times story she wrote about his novel “Love and Other Consolation Prizes,” which is set in Seattle.
Ford said he is “eternally grateful” for Macdonald’s thoughtful piece on his work and wants to now lift up her work. Still, he is a bit curious to hear from her what it has been like to make the leap from critic to author.
He’ll get to do that at 7 p.m. Tuesday for an audience in Spokane.
“I know it is not an easy transition. I do think about touring and festivals,” Ford said. “She’s going in there with all of these authors, and she’s probably at one point reviewed their books. So that’s going to be an interesting landscape to navigate because not all authors are so emotionally composed.”
Since selling her novel to a publisher in 2023 Macdonald can no longer review books since her financial relationship with a publisher could be seen as a conflict of interest. And she has found book publishing much more of a delayed gratification compared to the fast-paced grind of a daily newspaper.
“It has been a lot of waiting. It changed my life in many ways,” she said.
Ford is a little envious of Macdonald’s life as a critic. Though he imagines many critics long to be in his shoes as well.
“It must be kind of freeing to not to put in years of emotional labor into a piece and to read for pleasure,” he said. “And if you don’t enjoy it, you can talk about it and explain why. Like being part of a book club, but with 200,000 subscribers. It sounds like fun.”