Published!

As a writer, my aspirations have been something along these lines:

Finish a story
Write a whole novel
Write something that feels really good and exciting
Have someone else read it
Have someone other than a friend or family member comment favourably
Get published

Now I've been published, it turns out that there are a whole new list of aspirations to go with it. Like:

See my ebook on Amazon
Have someone buy it
Get a good review
See the print proof, fondle it lovingly
See the paperback available on line

All done, all very satisfying but here's the best one of all:

See my book in a bookshop

It's in the Ebb and Flo Bookshop, 12 Gillibrand Street, Chorley http://ebbandflobookshop.com/

And yes, I did have to bribe the proprietor, or at least speak kindly to her. But it's there for you all to buy.

Now my aspirations are taking another notch upwards.

I'm examining the weekly top 50 sales chart in the Bookseller, for example
I'm also checking my Amazon sales every ten minutes

It's all very exciting, and, best of all, only just beginning.

Due Diligence (Jenny Parker)

Iain Banks

I'm sad to learn of the imminent demise of one of my favourite authors, Iain Banks. He went to his doctors a couple of months ago complaining of a pain in his back. He assumed it was because of long stints at the computer but it turned out to be incurable cancer.

If you haven't read The Wasp Factory, now's the time.

If you're a Science Fiction fan, you'll already have read Consider Phlebas and all the other Culture novels. If you don't particularly like SF, these will convert you.

Iain is a very special writer, his imagination is matched only by his technical prowess and the lyrical quality of his prose. I'm going to miss him.

It brings home to me the importance of living as fully as I can today and not constantly putting things off for a better time, when I get chance, when I've more money, you know the feeling.

So, although the news is very sad, it's put a new spring in my step.

I'm just back from an amazing week at Freefall with Barbara Turner-Vesselago http://freefallwriting.com/ and have developed a new writing partnership with Jez Pike (not his real name) for a brilliantly funny novel about advertising agencies, big business, rock bands and organised crime. Jez and I are sharing the work to get the book done more quickly. He's doing the funny bits and I'll be writing the bits in between.

We've not agreed a title yet but it's probably going to be called Funky Junk.

Also I'm hellbent on finishing Limited Liability, the third Jenny Parker book. The first two have been amazingly well received, thanks for all your great feedback and reviews. More, please.

The paperback version of Due Diligence will be available from April 11th.

An Amazing Day

After a good week, today is turning out incredibly!

First there's the movie/tv series offer for Due Diligence. I don't have all the details for you yet, but someone's imagination has been fired up and an incredible proposition is being made today. We're talking Hollywood blockbuster here, though it seems I'll have to make some tweaks to the plot, the setting and most of the characters. New York is sufficiently like Manchester for that to work, Jenny will probably do well as a man but I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to fit in a vampire and a hobbit. Their insistence on a part for Ja Ja Binks is entirely understandable under the circumstances.

Even more remarkably, my publishers, Open Circle, have been the subject of a multi-million dollar takeover bid from Amazon. As Open Circle are yet to make any money, this might seem a little surprising. I do have a theory, though. Due Diligence is currently published on KDP Select. This means that Amazon have exclusive sales for 90 days. Maybe they are worried about a huge drop in earnings when DD can be bought elsewhere?

So, a very special day. I may be able to resist the Hollywood blandishments, though. My chickens have begun to lay golden eggs.