China in her hands: Author’s phenomenal Far East success
Nick Mailer It started with a vivid dream and a couple of notes on a sheet of paper.
Now it’s a million-selling book on the other side of the world and soon to be made into a film by one of Hollywood’s biggest movie companies.
Scots author Claire Mcfall is relatively unknown in the UK but in China her level of fandom has been described as similar to Beatlemania.
The mum-of-one’s incredible popularity has changed her life, allowing Claire and husband Christopher to buy their first house. She’ll even give up her part-time job as an English teacher at Peebles High to become a full-time author.
Her debut young adult novel, Ferryman, has become a phenomenon in the world’s most populated country, but 35-year-old Claire was completely unaware until she Googled herself one evening.
“Four months after Ferryman was released over there I came across a Chinese book review website,” Claire explained. There were 46,000 reviews for Ferryman but I thought it was a mistake – surely that many people couldn’t have read it?”
Claire then discovered it was in the country’s top 10 book chart. More than two years on that is where it remains, alongside its sequel, Trespassers.
When she visited China last January Claire was shocked by the response.
“A book signing had been organised and there were hundreds of people queued out the door, hyperventilating girls who were so excited. I couldn’t believe it.”
Its far-flung success has led to Legendary Entertainment, makers of blockbusters Godzilla and King Kong, to sign up Ferryman in a movie deal.
Claire, who lives near Galashiels, explained: “I have a really strange imagination and crazy dreams, so I always keep a notebook at my bedside. Quite a few ideas have come that way. “I feel very lucky.
“Ferryman started as a couple of lines written in my old flat, now it’s grown into this.
“I like to describe it as the little book that could.”