And we may just have a little present for you all – if you’ve been good.
Further news in a fortnight or so.
Slonský returns!
Or, at least, he will on 10th November (for Kindle, a few days later for paperback)
And the next one, please…
I continue to receive some lovely reviews and comments on The Outrageous Behaviour of Left-Handed Dwarves, so I hope people will be interested to hear that the next one in the series, The Book of Slaughter and Forgetting, is currently sitting on my desk while I read the proofs. It is due out on 10th November so please start saving your pocket money. I need hardly add that the two books together would make a very acceptable Christmas present / birthday present / Hanukkah present / doorstop.
Two weeks on – what have I learned?
My book was published in Kindle format a fortnight ago, and this week the paperback version has joined it. I don’t want to appear a Luddite, but for an author there is something special about holding an actual book rather than waving your Kindle around in celebration that you’ve finally been published.
(Just to be clear – I’ve been published before, but not as a sole author, and not as a writer of fiction.)
The first thing I’ve learned is that the writing is the easy bit. The promotional stuff takes up so much time that you don’t get to do any more writing. I suppose if I had an agent they would take that load off me, but I mustn’t complain because I actually enjoy doing it.
Second, people are incredibly kind and generous in their comments. At least, nobody has said anything nasty to my face. My book has been selected by a couple of book clubs and I’ve been invited to give a radio interview and a talk to a readers’ club. I began to feel I’m not quite so much of a fraud when I call myself a writer.
Getting to know me
Welcome to my blog. Let’s get to know each other! This is an informal place, so please call me Graham.
I enjoy writing. I enjoy writing particularly when other people read it and comment on it, so you are an essential part of my writing experience. If people want to give me money to write, that’s fine, but to be honest I would write anyway.
My favourite type of writing is crime fiction. I’ve always enjoyed reading it, but lately I’ve taken to writing it. I’ve been fortunate enough to be shortlisted three times for the Crime Writers’ Association’s Debut Dagger prize, without ever actually managing to win the thing, but never mind. One of those entries, The Outrageous Behaviour of Left-Handed Dwarves, has become my first published novel.
I couldn’t write without the support of my wonderful family, particularly my wife Gillian. She is my staunchest supporter and my gentlest critic, so I’d ask you to remember that none of this would be possible without her.
Graham Brack 