A New Relationship

We've been together for a couple of years now, on and off, through good times and bad, but always working towards a shared future... and finally it's actually happened.

Yes, that's my melodramatic way of saying my new book is out.

Dark Horizon Cover.jpg

Point one of this blog - happy author. Very happy. In fact, I could repeat that again and again etc., but the real thing I wanted to write about here is that now it's time to firmly establish our relationship.

As with all flashes of first love, we want to be together. I'm carrying a copy of the book around with me just about everywhere, looking fondly towards it, reaching out to touch it, and just generally delighting in its company.

But probably more importantly - and certainly more professionally - I'm getting ready to talk publicly about our love affair. I'm thinking about what attracted me to the idea for the story and the people in it, and how to explain that to an audience.

And also, what sense of the book to give to people, a sample of its character.

Much of this comes down to the reading, and I've spent the weekend struggling with which part to pick. A few hundred words from 100,000, when each page is carefully crafted with such love and thought? That's not easy!

However, I think I've settled on a reading and have been rehearsing it for suitable drama, intrigue, impact and allure.

I have a quirk of each new book in that I only have one single "performance copy", which comes with me everywhere. I note down the talks I've done in it, and it serves as a kind of history of my writing career.

(It's a great way of making yourself feel better on those "we creative types down days".)

The sole sadness is that - being on a book a year contract - the relationship with my new love lasts only that brief twelve months.

But I promise you this... it doesn't make it any less loving, joyful, and fulfilling.