Russell Hoban’s Psychical Clear Space.

A short, interesting piece featuring Russell Hoban in which he discusses the creative process.

Two sample chapters of If I Never can be read here.

To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.

Also, UK Kindle users can now buy If I Never here. (US Kindle users here.)

© 2010 Gary William Murning

If I Never Goes to Hollywood.

As any first-time novelist will tell you, one of the questions you hear most when you contact libraries and bookstores to let them know about your novel is “are you a local author?” It’s a question that, whilst I can understand it, I’ve always found somewhat… well, “out of touch” is the best I can do, this time of the morning. In some cases, yes, I suppose I can most definitely be considered “a local author” – in the purest, geographical sense. But, by and large, I no longer think in these terms (unless, of course, it can make the difference between libraries/bookstores buying in or not!)

This became, once again, even more apparent a few days ago. I was, as I so often I am, outlining my next novel and “farting around on Twitter”. The messages were coming thick and fast but, in amongst them all, I spotted one that particularly caught my attention. It wasn’t all that unusual, really. I get similar tweets quite often, now. But for some reason, it really hit home this time just how irrelevant the term “local author” has become.

The tweet in question was from a kind follower who had just bought her copy of If I Never – and as I quickly spotted, she was from North Hollywood. Which, really, couldn’t be more removed from my little corner of the world (though my hills are rather striking today, in their own snowcapped way).

It can become rather too commonplace. It’s easy to become blasé about it. But the reality is that my little book, published by a relatively small independent UK publisher, is currently being read all over the world – in Canada, the US, the Philippines, Australia and, quite possibly, many places of which I’m unaware. The global market is – naturally – huge, and had I not built an Internet presence that allowed me to tap into that, I doubt I would have sold anywhere near the number of units I have.

But more than that, it’s immensely satisfying. As well as being read all over the UK (many copies in numerous libraries constantly out on loan), If I Never is visiting places I possibly never will, is making a home there and talking to people who, to me, will always remain strangers.

If that isn’t a good reason to keep writing, I don’t know what is.

Two sample chapters of If I Never can be read here.

To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.

Also, UK Kindle users can now buy If I Never here. (US Kindle users here.)

© 2010 Gary William Murning

If I Never Christmas Badge Campaign.

Today, it’s my great pleasure to announce my new – and, I think, rather spiffing – If I Never Christmas special. I’m very excited about it and know that you will be just as blown away by this fantastic offer as I am (no, trust me, you will… stop sniggering… look, I’m being serious… oh, okay – maybe not “blown away”, exactly, then, but you will think it’s a bit good… I hope).

A couple of weeks ago I commissioned the very excellent Big Little Badge Company to produce a strictly limited edition run of I [heart] If I Never badges. When I originally discussed this with Paul at the BLBC, I wasn’t 100% convinced that they could create an image based on the If I Never cover that would work. But how wrong I was! The end result, as I’m sure you will agree, is pretty fantastic.

So, the answer to the question I know you’re all asking. How do you get your hands on one of these shiny wonders?

It’s really quite simple. Anyone who buys the book through Amazon in the run up to Christmas will, by sending proof of purchase to me by e-mail (click here), together with their postal address, be very promptly sent a badge. Those who have already bought the book and are buying another copy as a Christmas present for a friend have the choice of either keeping the badge themselves, or passing it on.

I must stress that this is a very limited offer. I’m quite sure there will be enough to go around but – just in case there’s more of a demand than I originally envisaged – I would urge you to get ordering ASAP.

Well I would, now, wouldn’t it? 🙂

Two sample chapters of If I Never can be read here.

To buy your copy of If I Never, please click here.

Also, UK Kindle users can now buy If I Never here. (US Kindle users here.)

© 2010 Gary William Murning

An Apology (or, It Doesn’t Happen Often so Make the Most of It.)

As I’ve just been explaining to a friend, “things” are starting to get away from me a little. Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today is drawing me in and I’m finding it difficult to concentrate for too long on other matters. Consequently, I’m behind on emails, blog-reading and the more sociable aspects of this Worldwide InterWebNet-thing we all love and, to a degree, depend upon.

I’m also concerned that my blog posts of late might not have been quite up to my usual (admittedly quite pitiful!) standard. I like to post something every day. It’s demanding, especially on top of working on the novel, but I have received so much support, appreciation and encouragement through Gary William Murning Online that I at least want to try to continue delivering the things people seem to enjoy.

I’d therefore like to apologise for not being quite as on the ball in these areas as I usually am and also offer you the chance to suggest topics you might like me to cover over the coming weeks. I can’t promise to do them all, but I’ll certainly give it my best shot. (Think of it as an early Christmas present… the socks that you’re elderly aunt gives you, perhaps 😉 )

Fire away!

© 2008 Gary William Murning

The Value of Elbow Room.

As I work on Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today, it’s once again becoming more apparent that outlining excessively in advance isn’t always the best way for me. With a novel such as this — and I’ve realised this many times over the years, but still I sometimes succumb to the apparent safety of a detailed outline! — it’s vital that I allow room for movement, for developments that surprise even me. To nail everything down very precisely and methodically makes it too “safe”.

Knowing the main sections of the novel beforehand is fairly important, however. The beginning, the middle and the end came to me roughly sketched but conclusive overnight, as I’ve already mentioned. But the finer details, the characters and how they develop and interact, the landscape, the twists and turns of plot, the back story and unexpected infidelities (I think!) — all these grow with the novel.

And it’s this that keeps it fresh. Working from a detailed outline, as I did with the Children of the Resolution, can often feel more like an act of transcription rather than something creative. Yes, this way can be rather unnerving on occasion (shit, I’ve got nothing outlined for the next chapter!), but it gets the blood pumping.

That can only add to the work’s vitality.

Can’t it?

© 2008 Gary William Murning

Tomorrow Will Come… Chapter Two.

After a few days of interruptions, I today finished the first draft of Chapter Two of Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today.

It’s pretty intense and very difficult for me to judge at this stage, but I think I’m achieving everything I want to achieve. It will, however, be really helpful to hear what my readers think. I’m touching upon quite possibly some of the darkest things I’ve ever written about and I’m trying to create an almost understated sense of tension. It should be as much about what isn’t said as what is, if you see what I mean.

Anyway, take a look if/when you have the time and the inclination.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

Tomorrow Will Come… Progress Report.

It seems quite absurd that up until a couple of weeks ago I’d spent about three months piddling about trying to find a story idea that I was comfortable with. Three attempts at quite detailed outlines didn’t really help, although I tried to convince myself at the time that they did, and then, out of the blue, came Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today. And with it everything started clicking back into place.

I now have 10,000 words “in the bag”, well into Chapter 2, and I’m really happy with the tone and direction. For a first draft it’s certainly well on the way to having the degree of intensity and character complexity I’m aiming for. As exhausting and demanding as I know these characters will be over the coming months, it really is a huge relief to be working again on something that I feel passionate about and, more to the point, that I enjoy.

I will be putting the first four chapters in my Sample section but the following chapters will not be available via this website. If you are, however, interested in becoming a reader, drop me a line and — if I know and trust you 😉 — I’ll see to it that you get the chapters as they are completed. The only conditions are that you do not breach copyright by sharing the work in any form and that you give an honest opinion of the work.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

Snowy Sunday.

This morning we woke to snow — not exactly crisp and even (more slushy and patchy), but snow nonetheless. I looked at it from my window, contemplated the hills and the admittedly vague possibility of careening down them with nothing separating my bottom from that chilly substance other than a Marks & Spencer carrier bag, had a mug of tea and, as my still being fit and well and all in one piece attests, decided that I would leave such foolishness to those better equipped (i.e. children who haven’t yet acquired enough bumps and bruises to understand the dangers and eager-to-impress grandfathers who should know better, but never do.)

Instead, I started work on chapter two of Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today. The second chapter can often be a little difficult, I find. After the initial buzz of starting the novel it can feel as if it has the potential to stall — it’s almost as if it tries to rein me in, settle me down for the long haul ahead. Something I don’t appreciate, and something that just hasn’t happened in this particular case.

I think the complexity of character and relationship within the novel is the key to ensuring that I remain as intrigued and committed to it as I want the reader to be. As I’ve already mentioned, the larger framework of the novel came to me pretty much fully formed. I know the beginning, the middle and the end. Nevertheless, there is still enough to hold my interest, to keep me on my toes. And there’s still room for me to improvise subplots etc if appropriate ones spring to mind as I write it.

I’m really glad I didn’t outline this in detail beforehand.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

Tomorrow Will Come… Chapter One.

As promised, here is the first draft of chapter one of my new novel, Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today.

It is, intentionally, a dark, introspective psychological piece and I will, naturally, be very interested in hearing if I’ve managed to achieve this dark introspection without the reader losing his or her wish to continue. There are a couple of story hooks, and, in spite of their difficulties, I think my characters are quite engaging, but I am of course too close to it at this stage to know how successful it is (or isn’t!)

Take a look when/if you have time and feel free to share any comments here.

Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today — Chapter One.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

The Secret to Publication.

It took Barack Obama to show me the error of my ways. Sitting here, working on my new novel (Tomorrow Will Come and It Will Be Just Like Today), I was wholly unaware of just how deluded and misguided I actually was.

You see, I was completely oblivious to the fact — in spite of masses of evidence — that in order to be a successful writer you first have to follow an unrelated career, become successful at that (“successful” being defined however you wish) and then sit back and wait for publishers to come to you! Such folly! What on earth was I thinking of? A writer sits in front of his computer, working off his squishy bits, day in, day out, produces a masterpiece and then gets published? No? Perish the thought! What an absurd notion!

Thankfully, I today found myself completely disabused of this ridiculousness when dear old Amazon.co.uk sent me a charming email (“Dear customer”… isn’t that sweet?) offering me 50% off selected “celebrity books”. Amongst them was Barack Obama’s memoir, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Actually one of the few I might consider reading, though it did occur to me that the usual way of doing these things is to get the presidency out of the way first and then write the memoir. But what do I know?

He was in good company, however. Dawn French, Alan Carr, Fern Britton and someone I’d never heard of called Marcus Tescothick or something all have autobiographies (“alleged” autobiographies, I should probably say) out at the moment and, suitably inspired by this Celebrious deluge, I came up with, as Baldrick might well have put it, a cunning plan.

I’m going to become celebrated for something other than writing! I haven’t decided quite how I’m going to do this, yet, but I figure it need not be anything too difficult. Falling out of a nightclub, knickerless and with a footballer on my arm would probably do the trick, but it’s a long time since I saw a fanciable footballer and, well, you know, I wouldn’t want to get a chill.

So… this is your mission if you should choose to accept it. In order to achieve fame/infamy (I’m not really all that particular) and, ultimately, get my work published, what rocky route to stardom should I take?

My future, ladies and gentlemen, is in your hands.

© 2008 Gary William Murning