I've been a bit remiss with the blog, but my excuse is that I've been waiting for something interesting to happen and it's been pretty quiet on the book front. I suppose this blog is as much about the frustrations that face an author in the rundown to his first book as it is about the triumphs and the great leaps forward. So I have to record that, at least on the book front, my life isn't about highs and lows - more highs and lulls. So much has happened in the past few months that you just keep on expecting something good to happen every day, or at least every week, but that's not the way it works.
The one really positive thing I have to record is that I managed to get Caligula to one of Britain's top authors, a writer who has sold millions of books all over he world, and that he thoroughly enjoyed it and sent me a lovely personal letter saying wonderful things about my writing. Unfortunately - and I fully respect his decision - he doesn't do quotes for book jackets. You could regard that as a setback, but he was so positive about what he'd read that it's actually a huge vote of confidence.
Despite the lack of activity on the surface, I know that people are working away trying to sell the book, market it and are preparing for publication - ten weeks and counting. Maybe something big is just around the corner!
3 comments:
Oh, I see . . . nothing much happening - except for a top author reading my book and really enjoying it!!!!
Wish nothing much was happening in my life then!
Hi Doug
Been reading your blog for a while now so thought I'd better say hi.
I'm fascinated by the record of your experiences leading up to publication. You're refreshingly open and unpretentious.
I'm several stages behind you (background in non-fiction writing; got an agent but no-go with first novel; second novel rewrite currently with agent; part way through third novel; and some ideas for fourth). What a minefield it all is!
Am I right in thinking that you, like me, are primarily looking for finance to keep writing more novels rather than hoping to make a quick killing followed by retirement in Tuscany? (Not that I'm totally against that unlikely outcome...)
I check back every couple of days to see if anything is happening, so please do keep up the entries if you find time.
Though I won't deny a feeling of envy, I do find your experiences inspiring. I'm delighted that success is coming your way. Good on you.
Cheers, Joe.
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