Photo by Mauro Parra-Miranda
I’ve dreamt about this moment for so long, willed it to happen, worked hard for it, and now it is here, I’m spinning with excitement and fear.
My first novel, All the Tomorrows, is due to be released in less than three months on 6 November 2017. Three months of happy dances, but also nail-biting, cold sweats and dreams of being naked on stage in front of a full audience!
I started this blog in 2012, aware that without public accountability, I’d never unpick the writer I wanted to be from my everyday self. I wanted to be braver.
I’m still glad for that moment of inspiration. First came the blog, then friendships with other writers, developing the practice of writing, and honing the craft with critique groups and workshops. In 2016, my first short stories were accepted into anthologies, and earlier this year, I signed a contract with Evolved Publishing for three literary fiction novels.
Photo by Valerie
The journey since then has been a heady mix of titles, covers, editing, marketing decisions and publishing technicalities I am still getting my head around. I’ve been so grateful to have a stellar team around me.
One of my favourite things to do is facing a blank page and just letting my fingers dart across the keyboard and catch up with my thoughts. I love how it helps me unknot my feelings when the world seems so complex. Still, it’s a funny old job where you spend most of your time exploring your own thoughts, then present them to the world. It’s such a odd mix of private and public, and that’s where the fear stems from.
But, oh, the excitement of seeing a dream come to life!
Photo by Foto Nerd
Which brings me to today. I am so proud of this book, and thankful to the team who worked on it. I hope you’ll support it, and please share with any readers you think might enjoy it.
On Monday, I’ll be revealing the book cover designed by my wonderful cover artist D. Robert Pease. That’s in three days time, and I’ll be posting a little teaser about the book every day until then. I can’t wait to see what you think of it!
The cover I’ll be posting on Monday will be the front cover. Newsletter subscribers get to see the whole shebang, front and back on Sunday night, so if you haven’t signed up yet, here’s your chance to.