Book of the Month: Vox by Christina Dalcher. Post your question for Christina ahead of the author webchat on Tuesday 16 April at 9pm

[SorchaMumsnet]

Our bookclub read for March is Christina Dalcher's debut novel, Vox - a riveting but terrifying glimpse into a world in which women have literally lost their voice.

Find out more and read or listen to an extract. And then grab a copy and join us in reading the book ahead of our webchat on Tuesday 16 April at 9pm.

Buy the paperback now for £5.99

@Tunnockswafer

I was so pleased the husband turned out to be a good guy. Silly I know. A question - do you wear a Fitbit, and if so did that give you idea for the counters?!

I do not wear a Fitbit! It's funny, actually, because I got the idea for the word counters from a story I read when I was about seven years old -- some children's thing where all the villagers in a town limited themselves to X words a day. How did they count them? With an extremely low-tech device: they all wore a rope around their waists and tied a knot for each word. Crazy, right? But that idea was lurking in my Drawer of Ideas for a couple of years before I wrote VOX.

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

It wasn't total dross in the least. I think this was a case of a talented writer rushed into print before the book was ready because people in the industry saw dollar signs before their eyes (correctly, as it happens).

For me the book has a lot going for it as well as the obvious flaws which I won't rehash. The hook is amazing and thought provoking. The storytelling is pacy and readable. And there are some really sensitively observed scenes of the interactions between the family members. I would definitely look out for her future books in a few years - she needs good advice from experienced editors and time to mature as a writer.

Thanks for the kind words, and I'm glad you liked the familial interaction. Those scenes were some of my favorites, from the writer's point of view. Can't really comment on the publishing timeline. :-)

@starlight36

Hi Christina, I was also going to ask if the idea from the counter was inspired by a Fitbit. But also if you tried to limit your own words so that you could understand how it feels to lose your right of speech.

Hi there! See above for my answer re the Fitbit!

As for limiting my own speech, I didn't do this while I was writing VOX, but I've had some experience spending entire days without talking. It's pretty maddening, actually, even when it isn't forced on you!

But why the monkeys, why!!! It seemed farcical after such a gripping start.

@SorchaMumsnet

There are still a few more questions (mostly about those counters!) but before I forget, Christina - could we put to you the questions that we ask all our Book of the Month authors?

What was your favourite childhood book?

What was the last book you gave to someone as a gift?

What was the last book you read?

Can you describe the room(s) where you wrote Vox?

Favourite childhood book: CHARLOTTE'S WEB (this was before I discovered Stephen King...)

Last book I gave as a gift: THE OUTSIDERS (also one of my faves as a teenager!)

Last book I read: THIS LITTLE LIGHT by Lori Lansens (advanced copy for a quote -- I loved it!)

Room where I wrote VOX: Same room I write pretty much everything. Front of the house, bay window, a few thirsty snake plants, and either a jigsaw puzzle or a borrowed golden retriever on the floor next to me.

What are you working on now?

@Ratatouille76

But why the monkeys, why!!! It seemed farcical after such a gripping start.

They were apes, actually (chimps). Since we share about 99% of our DNA with them, they seemed the logical choice for lab experiments of the type I was writing about. Also, chimps can be incredibly violent creatures.

@Tunnockswafer

What are you working on now?

I'm going through a final round of revisions on my next book (not a follow-on to VOX, although I haven't ruled one out!). Where VOX asked the question "What if the Culture of Domesticity experienced a renaissance?" this one asks the same question about the American eugenics movement. It's still very much women's fiction with some sociopolitical and thriller elements. No Lorenzo, though. And no apes. ;-)

Ooh that sounds very interesting! We'll certainly look out for that. And I think, sadly, that's all we've got time for...

Thanks for having me as a guest here on Mumsnet! Happy reading, and cheers to you all!

Best of luck with it and thanks so much for chatting with us, Christina - personally I found it quite the insight into the dystopian novel writing process - and to everyone else who joined.

Until next time - when we'll be discussing The Lido. Good night folks!

@fruitpastille

My question is why did you choose, after the opening of the book, for none of the main characters to actually have to wear a counter? I felt that this was the most interesting thing about the book but didn't in the end feature as much as I expected.

Also, if one person (annoyingly a man) had managed to figure out how to remove them and make a realistic fake in his garage, surely it makes the premise of how awful the wrist counters are somewhat less? If one bloke can do it then loads of others would and the keys/fakes would soon be easy enough to buy for those that could afford it.

My apologies -- just saw this question! I never intended VOX to be an introspective story about the terrors of living without a voice. It's a thriller, and I wanted it to have that kind of movement.