Question Number Two.
August 30, 2009
And now we how the second question in my launch week competition. If you missed the first question scroll down a couple of posts and check that one out first.
Question number two…
Which Joseph Heller novel features the travails of the “first-ever Jewish Secretary of State”?
Keep watching this space for further questions! Details of where to send your answers will be provided later this week.
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.
Ask the Author (Part One.)
August 30, 2009
A few days ago I asked for questions relating to my writing and, more specifically, If I Never. A number of you kindly contributed questions and here is my response to the first of those. The recording is a little naff in places (I’m just getting the hang of these podcast things!), but I hope you nevertheless enjoy it.
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.
Question Number One.
August 29, 2009
Launch week has kicked off to a really incredible start. Amazon.co.uk has already sold out and if you’re desperate to order If I Never online I’d currently recommend The Book Depository. Amazon.co.uk will no doubt be restocked very, very quickly, however. And, of course, I’m available (or my book is!) in good High Street bookstores etc.
As part of launch week I am, as promised, running in conjunction with my publisher, Legend Press, a competition to win Legend Press books. Over the next week or so there will be a number of questions — all inspired by my writing influences — and out of those with the correct answers a winner will be randomly selected by the ladies and gentleman at Legend.
I have been told that the questions are rather difficult and was going to make them easier. However, I tested them on my father and he came back with the correct answers very quickly. He Googled them. Fairly safe to say that many of you will do the same so they’re remaining difficult!
Question number one…
Which (living and working) American author frequently uses the following motifs in many of his novels: prostitutes, bears and absent parents?
Keep watching this space for further questions! Details of where to send your answers will be provided later this week.
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.
Your Head’s Just Exploded.
August 28, 2009
Okay. It’s official. I’m nervous. I’m excited, too, of course — not to mention grateful and pretty optimistic. But most of all I’m nervous.
Tomorrow, in case you’re one of the few people who don’t know, will see the launch of my debut novel If I Never. It’s been a long, long road (with many a winding turn… sorry), but finally the day is here. A time for celebration, indeed, but also, it seems, a time for unexpected nerves!
I keep flashing on the backstage footage of one of those Elvis concerts from the 70s. The man himself explaining in voice-over how he feels — saying that someone could come up to him and tell him that his head’s just exploded and he wouldn’t know, that’s how focused and anxious he is. And I can empathise. All that work, all that preparation is now heading out to hundreds of shops around the country — reaching, potentially, thousands of people… tens of thousands, given time… dare I even think hundreds of thousands? And it’s all out of my hands, now. Nothing can be changed. Nothing can be taken back. It lives or dies on the reception it receives, always assuming it receives any at all!
And today that has really hit home. I’ve spoken little. I’ve tried to read to take my mind off it (that was never going to work, was it?!) So strange, in fact, was my mood that I even avoided the Jamesons! Shock! Horror!
But as of now I’m putting all that behind me (no, really, I am!) Tomorrow the eight days of celebration and “events” start here, on Twitter and on Facebook to mark the launch of If I Never. Don’t expect dog acts, drag acts or pyrotechnics. Although all those things are well within my powers (my legs look great in heels… when I remember to shave them), it’s going to be a much more relaxed affair — competition, podcasts and, more than likely, much larking about. I want to enjoy it as well, so I’m determined not to be too anal about it. It’ll happen how it happens, and I’m sure a fair amount of plonk will be consumed in a good many locations — virtual and otherwise — around the country. In fact, I demand it! 
Drink, toast my absolutely spiffing novel, fall down and then take a photo of your inebriated self drooling all over If I Never. The best photos will be featured on my website
So, if you’ve already ordered If I Never — or are about to dash out and buy a copy — I sincerely hope you at least find something to enjoy in it. It was a world I enjoyed inhabiting during the ten months it took to write, and even the rougher characters are very special to me. I hope you find in them what I found.
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.
Questions, Questions.
August 26, 2009
During the If I Never launch week, I plan on answering as many questions about the writing of the novel itself and my approach to writing in general. I will also, if asked, discuss the writers who have influenced me and the various other ways in which life/art impacts on my work.
So, if you would like to ask a question, now’s your opportunity. If possible, please ask the question here rather than on Twitter, Facebook etc.
Fire away!
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To pre-order your copy of If I Never, please click here.
Every Day, It’s A-Getting Closer…
August 25, 2009
I think everything is just about in place for the “eight day extravaganza” that will mark the publication of If I Never. I still have a few things to sort out but I at least know what I’m doing, now! Always a good start, I find.
I am, however, looking for a couple more blog interviews — the more original the line of questioning, the better! (As long as it concerns writing, books and If I Never, naturally!) So, if you have a blog and would like to get some questions over to me, please let me know.
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To pre-order your copy of If I Never, please click here.
In Preparation.
August 23, 2009
I’m currently getting everything in place for launch week. By way of a test, could you please listened to the file in the player below and let me know if you can hear everything okay?
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To pre-order your copy of If I Never, please click here.
If I Never News Update.
August 20, 2009
Quite a busy day, here — a two blog posts kind of day!
So, further to my earlier post, a couple more updates.
If I Never has now been selected in the latest cycle for the Exclusively Independent scheme. For those who are unfamiliar with this, this is a scheme that ensures that books selected by a panel of independent publishers are featured in a prominent display in independent bookshops around the country. This initiative, set up in conjunction with The Arts Council, is something I’ve been following since its inception — never dreaming that If I Never would be featured. Naturally, I consider this to be a huge compliment and extremely exciting!
Also, today, I was featured in my local newspaper. A really good article that manages to give a pretty good idea of who I am and what I do. Cheers, Dave!
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To pre-order your copy of If I Never, please click here.
Countdown to Launch Commencing…
August 20, 2009
Nine days. After years of submitting work and being encouraged but ultimately rejected, that still doesn’t seem possible. Nine days — a little less than 216 hours — and If I Never will finally be published. An exciting and nerve-wracking thought!
It’s been a busy time in my little corner of Middlesbrough and, to be honest, the past few weeks seem to have flown by. As well as trying to keep up with my existing work in progress, it’s seemed that there’s constantly been something relating to If I Never think about/do. Consequently, I haven’t kept this blog as up-to-date as I would like. Something I’m probably going to have to get used to.
In an effort to provide as many ways as possible to keep up with what I’m doing, however, I have a number of other networking platforms that I try to use far more regularly. Now might be a good time to mention them, again.
- Twitter — this has proved extremely useful over the past few months. Apart from making some incredible new friends there, it’s also really handy for sharing information. You can follow me by going here.
- My Facebook Group – this is a public group. Anyone can join and have access to all my latest news.
- FriendFeed — I don’t actively follow people using this but everything I do on Twitter and this blog can be easily accessed in the one place by subscribing here.
- RSS feeds — you can, as most will already know, follow me in your feed reader by clicking here.
- Other subscription methods can also be found here.
- If you are a member of the press/media and would like to be added to my media information service, please email me for further details.
As well as all this, I would also like to remind you all that the launch of If I Never will be taking place online (here, Facebook and Twitter.) There will be competitions and other “events”, but I’m also looking at it as a celebration and an opportunity to thank everyone who’s helped and supported me through this whole process. I will, as I’ve said before, be posting more details regarding this here very shortly — so keep dropping by.
Breaking news: If I Never has been selected for this cycle of Exclusively Independent!
A sample chapter of If I Never can be read here.
To pre-order your copy of If I Never, please click here.
22 Days and Counting.
August 7, 2009
No matter how cut and dried something like the publication of a first novel might seem — however long the contract has been signed and as enthusiastic as one’s publisher may be — I would imagine there’s always a sense, for every debuting novelist, that something must go wrong. With all the false starts along the way, it’s inevitable, I suppose, that the little daemon sitting on the left shoulder should whisper of 11th hour disappointment and failure.
Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be the way that it’s going with the impending publication of my debut novel If I Never. Yes, I still have to keep pinching myself — but, by and large, the doubt has been assuaged (touch wood!) The novel is now back from the printer and my author copies are winging their way to me via, I assume, Royal Mail (will probably receive them in a month or two, then!), and the promotional/marketing machine is now kicking into action. This week has been fairly hectic — bits and pieces to sort out with the wonderful Lauren and Lucy at Legend, and my personal PR/marketing team (Richard and Janet Ruzyllo) — but everything is falling into place very nicely. Let it suffice to say that I’m pretty bloody chuffed with the way things are progressing. It’s early days, of course, with much work still to do, but I have excellent support from Team Legend, Richard and Janet, my numerous online friends and, of course, my wonderful parents (thanks to whom there are now promotional posters in just about every shop window in Eston!… I’m even in the local fish and chip shop — which seems frighteningly appropriate!)
So everything is building steadily towards the If I Never launch 22 days from now. As already mentioned here, I’m going for an online/Twitter launch. I will be posting more details about this very soon but now the plan is to run it from the 29th of August until the following Saturday — with a number of “events” during the eight days and culminating in an online party on the 5th of September. There are a number of reasons for making this an eight-day event rather than just keeping to the one day — the most obvious being that not everyone can manage to turn up at the same time. Also, however, the weekend of the 29th is a Bank Holiday in England and I know a number of my faithful followers won’t be able to make it.
As I’ve already said, more details will be posted here soon — but just to whet your appetite, there will be competitions with quite excellent prizes from Legend Press. I shall say no more for the time being, because I’m a bit of a tease like that
Also, I would just like to take a moment to thank a few people. Like I say, things are getting pretty hectic and sometimes it’s difficult to thank everyone personally (though I do try.) My friends and followers on Twitter, Facebook etc have been and continue to be absolutely wonderful. Many of them never miss an opportunity to give me a mention and even if it didn’t generate sales (which it does, incidentally!) I would be eternally grateful. Your efforts are really appreciated and are making a noticeable difference. Thank you. Means a hell of a lot.
So, it only remains to say that if you haven’t already read the sample chapter of If I Never, you can do so by clicking here. If you like this taster, please feel free to pre-order here or by following any of the links at the end of the chapter itself.
For up-to-the-minute information regarding If I Never, try the If I Never Information Hotline on +448703211876
