The Blog
York Cat Hunt!
I went to York over the weekend for reasons that have nothing to do with writing. However, while we were there, my fiance and I decided to try the York cat hunt. For those of you unfamiliar with it, the hunt is a trail of cat sculptures dotted around York centre. You can read more about it here.
It’s a free and fun way of unwinding when you’re in York and it’s especially enjoyable if you like cats as much as I do. I must admit, though, I got a little frustrated when my fiance spotted all but one of the cats we found ahead of me. I’m a competitive soul and it’s damaging to my ego to fail like that! However, it was very enjoyable. I think my favourite of the cats is the ‘ghostly’ one. What do you think?
As well as the cat hunt, we walked along the walls and enjoyed a bit of window shopping. I was on my best behaviour as far as book shops go – I didn’t walk into a single one. One could say I’m broken; others might say I’m biding my time until I can buy loads of books unobserved. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which…
5 Things I Learned About Hosting a Book Launch
Last week, I officially launched Valerie during a launch and poetry event in the centre of Wakefield. It was timed deliberately to coincide with Wakefield Lit Fest, an annual celebration of words (and, this year, music) in my home town.
I’m useless at judging how my own events go. I do, however, have it on good authority that the launch was pretty much a success. I sold a few books and I got a little practice in reading aloud from a novel, which feels like a completely different experience to reading a complete short story or poem aloud. So, with the event still fresh, I thought I’d share a few dos and don’ts from my personal experience.
Do make the event about more than just you. However much pull you think you have, people who say they’ll turn up won’t all be able to. I made a deliberate decision to join up with a local poetry group, which not only brought more people in, but it took the pressure off me as well. I also had a stall with some local artists’ work for sale. That wasn’t as successful as I would’ve liked, but it was part of my attempts to make the event something that benefited more than just me.
Do have a good posse around you. Even with a couple of people there keeping me calm and keeping things running, I still tried to do a little too much myself. I’m not sure making tea and coffee right before showtime was the best way to go.
Do try and break the ice. A nice anecdote about me walking into town with my underskirt tucked up by accident that morning settled the room a little. As I said at the time, doing a reading couldn’t be half as embarrassing as that – and I was right.
Don’t panic if things change during the event. The order of the poetry section changed, meaning that I didn’t get a chance to do a second reading. That mucked things up a little bit as the audience dispersed and I think it was why I felt a little jaded after the event.
Don’t expect to get it perfect the first time. My initial thought as I walked home was that I never wanted to do a book launch again. I felt as though I’d short-changed the attendees and that they would’ve been better off spending time elsewhere. Having spoken to a few people and taking a few days to contemplate, I think it was an enjoyable hour or so for those who attended.
Valerie – The Germ of a Scene
It’s no surprise that writers steal elements of their own lives for their books. No, before you ask, I haven’t been embroiled in a relationship with a woman like Valerie, but I did draw on scenes and emotions that I’ve personally experienced in order to write crucial elements of the novel.
Take the first chapter, for instance, when Max stops in the rain to help Valerie change a tyre. I got the germ of this scene from a personal story. Around eight years ago, I was travelling back from Wakefield to Lincoln late at night with a friend. The rain was pretty bad and, as anyone who has travelled along Doncaster Road heading towards the A1 will attest, the roads wind around a lot along there. We must’ve scraped the tyre against something because we started wobbling and pulled down the nearest street to get away from the main road.
Stupid mistake #1 – Going down a hill and parking up at the bottom. Rivers of water were following us down there.
My friend dutifully got the spare out of the boot and set about trying to change it. However, he was having difficulty getting everything working (hey, I don’t drive, I had no clue what was going on). Probably more to offer a voice of encouragement than anything else, I got out of the car and proceeded to be soaked to the bone by the persistent rain. I ended up standing with the torch from my phone trained on the tyre while he tried unsuccessfully to change it. We’d been there for quite a while before a local resident came out to see if we needed help. This is where I learned something.
Stupid mistake #2 – Not removing the handbrake when trying to change a tyre is rather silly.
So, yeah, we’d been standing there doing something that wouldn’t work in the pouring rain because we’d forgotten to do one little thing. With the help of that nice man, we got on the road again. Needless to say, we were both freezing and it was late. We pulled in at the next service station and I vividly recall standing in the bathrooms and just looking at my bedraggled self in the mirror.
That night stayed with me, right from the way the water battered down on my neck until I gave up trying to stay dry through to the way my body felt when everything was starting to dry out. I knew I had to use that somewhere in a novel, and it found its place in the gloomy opening scene to Valerie.
Valerie – The Idea
Whether we writers admit it or not, we often know where our ideas have originated from. It can be just a germ from somewhere, an idea brought forth from a conversation, or a face we can’t forget. That seed becomes something else entirely, and this can obliterate the initial inspiration. Actually, if you’re lucky, that’s exactly what it does. The story sprouts up and moves so far away that the original source is unidentifiable.
So, Valerie began life as an attempt to understand a particular “type” of person. Politics fascinates me, especially the contradictions and clashes you find every way you turn. In the UK, we expect our politicians to be dodgy to a certain extent. We’re not surprised when they lie or when they’re caught out. But all we see is the public side of this. I was interested in the idea of what happens when they’re lying to the people closest to them.
As a matter of course, the novel (and the protagonists) altered a lot throughout the story’s development. But the initial idea was the constant that I kept coming back to – Valerie had her ambitions and that coloured everything within the novel. While characters developed and the plot matured, the idea that Valerie was striving to become this political figure was one thing that remained constant through every draft.
What was my aim with Valerie? Well, first and foremost, it was about characters and relationships, the way that most of my stories end up. But, within this novel especially, there is the central suggestion that politics requires a certain ruthlessness and an exploration of how that plays out in terms of a person’s family and loved ones.
One thing’s for sure, that germ of an idea I had several years ago was one that deserved to be developed slowly over time. I feel it’s matured, as the characters themselves did through the different drafts.
Valerie is available now on Amazon on Kindle and in paperback.
Valerie Has Been Released!
There you go – that headline deserved an exclamation mark.
So, after a few delays and mishaps, I’m proud to announce that Valerie is now available on Kindle and in paperback. You can purchase it on the links below. If you want a taster, you can download the first chapter for free over on BookFunnel.
The current price on Kindle is specially discounted at £1.99 with prices in other areas corresponding low. Grab it for the special introductory price and let me know what you think.
Over the next week, I’ll be sharing some insight into the novel, on everything from the initial idea through to the possibility of a sequel. If you’re in Yorkshire, too, you might be interested in my book launch on the 26th September at IndyCube, 6pm to 8pm. It’s not only a chance to hear me reading from my two novels, there will also be readings from a local poetry group and the opportunity to buy merchandise from local creatives.
Buy Valerie on Kindle in the UK.
Buy Valerie on Kindle in the US.
5 Things I’ve Learned Since Publishing My First Book
With the release of my second novel Valerie looming ever-closer, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned in the 12 months since publishing But By Degrees. It doesn’t feel like two minutes since I hit that button (and I remember the grin stuck to my face afterwards) but I’ve grown so much since then. I suppose if you throw yourself headfirst into something and start kicking, you’ll start making progress eventually. That’s what I hoped and, to be fair, I think I’ve had more successes than failures. I hope some of these observations will prove useful to other authors setting out on their self-publishing adventure.
1. I still feel the need to justify my self-publishing decision
Most people who have self-published a novel have had that conversation. It starts with you mentioning that you’ve published something, only for a half-sneer to appear on your audience’s face when they realise that you self-published it. It’s an unfortunate fact that stigma is still associated with self-publishing and some people are never going to get their heads around the fact that you can publish quality fiction without a publisher behind you. However, I still find that my mouth goes into defence mode whenever I mention But By Degrees. I still feel the need to, rather apologetically, say that I self-published (and then explain why). It’s definitely something I need to get over, but it certainly didn’t go away with the click of a button (or, indeed, hundreds of sales).
2. You need to look forward to the flurries
If you’re lucky and you market in the right places to begin with, you’ll get an opening (small) flurry of sales. That’s enough to sustain you for a while and, honestly, it feels good. After that, you need to be on the lookout for other places to market your book. I found several Facebook and Goodreads groups that allow promotion in my specific genre (more about that below) which allowed me to reach new sets of readers as time went on. I was careful though – it doesn’t pay to over-post and people soon get bored. If you leave gaps between your promotional posts, you hit new people and you don’t annoy the ones who’ve already seen it and may yet take a punt on your book. That’s how I got new flurries of sales over the year.
3. Struggling to fit into a genre is a pain in the neck
Don’t get me wrong – I knew marketing But By Degrees would be a struggle. After all, the protagonist is a lesbian and that’s not something so-called “mainstream” audiences naturally gravitate towards. And, yes, it has a romance, but it’s the joint focus of the novel and it’s definitely not all hearts and flowers. One of my favourite reviews is a recent one that includes the observation that “if you’re in it for the good feels, there’s not much to be had here” and it’s true. I don’t want to feel as though I have to apologise for that. I write stories I want to read and the only way they can continue to be authentic is if I stick to that philosophy. I labelled But By Degrees as a “lesbian thriller”. In retrospect, is that good enough? I’m not sure. I may campaign for a “lesbian not good feels” category instead! Then again, no two of my novels are ever going to be the same and that’s ultimately why trying to categorise me will probably be a losing battle.
4. I’ve got plenty left to learn
One of the perks of completing a PhD in my other life is that I’m infinitely used to criticism. What’s been good about But By Degrees is that reviews have been balanced and I’ve been able to take on board some points. For instance, I know some people have struggled to understand the title (which stems from a Shakespeare quote), plus there has been fair criticism about the relatively slow opening and difficulty in pinning some of the characters down at first. All this is a learning curve and I’m fortunate that people have left reviews that give me tips for the future. One major disappointment I’ll admit I had is when my book was rejected by one of the only review sites it felt eligible for because the reviewer just couldn’t get into the book. I feel like I could’ve done with more information about the reasons behind that but, in the end, you chalk it up to a bad match and move on. There are other avenues to get noticed.
5. It’s pretty damn cool to publish a book
Honestly, savour that first-book feeling. There’s nothing quite like holding your own book in your hands for the first time. It’s closely followed by having a friend request you sign her copy meaning that, of course, you now need an author signature. If you’re lucky, your social circle will expand, whether online or in person. For instance, I was in the pub when I realised that a friend of a friend was staring at me. She got her girlfriend to ask if I was Kit in a rather bizarre yet cute way and now we’re friends. There will be moments when you remember that what you’ve done is amazing – enjoy those moments.
***
Valerie will be released on Kindle on 1st September. Pre-order for a special low price is available here.
You can download a PDF of the first chapter for free here.
Birthday Bonanza – Check It Out
It’s not every weekend you turn 30. To celebrate, I’ve decided to offer readers and potential readers a few gifts.
You might be aware that I’m releasing my second novel Valerie on the 1st September. So, my first gift to you is that you can download and read a PDF of the first chapter for free. No signup required!
Simply click on this link and follow the instructions to download Chapter One.
My second gift is that I’ve made Valerie available for pre-order on Kindle. The low pre-order price won’t last for long after release so get in there while you can.
Pre-order Valerie on Amazon.co.uk.
Pre-order Valerie on Amazon.com.
Finally, I’m offering my debut novel, But By Degrees, on Kindle for less than half-price for a limited time only. You can download it here:
Buy But By Degrees on Amazon.co.uk.
But But By Degrees on Amazon.com.
My birthday week is going to spent at Clarence Park Festival in Wakefield and then I’m in York on the Monday. It’s going to be a good one. This being 30 lark is going to be just fine!
Editing – The Carrot Approach
I’m currently neck-high in ‘Valerie’ editing to the point where the shore has become a lopsided lump in the horizon. Some days, I’m doubtful whether I’ll make it out of the quagmire, but that’s what good about this part of the editing process – if you’re so far in that you can’t see the way out, you’re doing well. However, I have been bribing myself a little to get through the hard days.
When I was younger, I was massively into tycoon and management games. I still am to an extent. As ever, there are time constraints to everything, and fun stuff like spending hours in front of the computer playing The Sims 3 had to take a back seat. Last week, though, when I was struggling to motivate myself under the sheer weight of words I had left to edit, I came up with an idea.
Football management games used to be a favourite of mine. That was partly because I used to be a massive football fan as a primary school kid and partly because I liked the power. Most of them have got a little too complicated these days (according to reviews) so I chose Football Manager Touch as an apparently simple alternatively. I don’t know about “simple” because I’ve already been sacked by two clubs in one season, but the carrot approach I employed to editing ‘Valerie’ is certainly paying off. I edit one page of the manuscript then lead my players through one match, and so on and so on. It was an effective enough formula to get me through a six hour editing shift into the early hours of the morning last week.
Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
Sure, this editing lark’s painful. It’s meant to be. If I got to this stage and I was enjoying myself and loving everything I’ve written on this novel in the last few years, I’d be worried. I’m at the point where I either have to begrudgingly accept a sentence or rewrite it. Believe me, that’s a great place to be in.
A Gay Whirlwind
A gay whirlwind – that sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? I’ve suddenly got visions of a psychedelic rainbow cyclone sweeping me off the ground a la Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. Imagine the technicolour paradise you’d land in after dropping out of a rainbow cyclone . . . Anyway, I digress.
Last week turned into a mini gay tour. I had to go to Brighton for 24 hours (yes, from Yorkshire – cue trains and exhaustion), known as one of the gay capitals of the country. I wasn’t there long enough to soak up much culture or visit any bars, but I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. We’re very lucky in the UK to be able to walk around hand in hand with our partners and generally be free from trouble. I don’t take that for granted. I’m looking forward to going back to Brighton for more than a whistle-stop tour at some point in the future. I’d also like it if I didn’t land in the middle of what was essentially monsoon day on the South coast! Any recommendations for places to visit next time I’m down there?
We had some time to kill in London between trains on the way back and so we headed into Bloomsbury. It’s long been my favourite area of London, mainly because of the number of students and the relaxed atmosphere. The historical literary connections also help. I was there last month too as I took my best friend to see the sights and relax in the middle of what turned out to be a heatwave. The weather during the four hours my partner spent there on Wednesday was also pretty good. And, of course, I had to pop into Gay’s the Word.
If you’re unfamiliar with Gay’s the Word, you’re missing out. It’s London’s pioneering LGBT bookshop – small yet packed full of literary goodies that you won’t find in that concentration anywhere else offline. One of the best bits is the used section where you can find books that have been out of print for so long that, even if you remember the title, you’ve probably forgotten the plot. Everything about the shop is paradise for LGBT readers.
I remember the first time I went to London alone for a conference five or six years ago. I was anxious about being in the capital on my own, but it was my mission to find Gay’s the Word and find some hidden gems. I wasn’t disappointed. There’s something unique about browsing in person. Don’t get me wrong, I love the variety offered by Amazon and other online booksellers. They bring opportunities to authors like myself who would struggle to get their novels out there otherwise. However, to be in a room full of LGBT books that first time – and every time after that – was a reminder that there are actual people out there eager to read the kind of things I read and, more pertinently now, the kind of things I write.
So, yes, I adore that bookshop, and I’d heartily recommend a visit the next time you’re in London. My favourite book bought from there in the past is probably Jill by Amy Dilwyn. It’s a bit of a romp and certainly has no explicit love (it was published in 1884), but it’s one of those books I never would have found if it wasn’t for Gay’s the Word. One of my greatest aims in my literary life is to give a reading there. One day!
Being Part of a Community
I spent Sunday afternoon helping to make a music video. While I wasn’t keen on being part of the thing (my coordination is lacking somewhat, just ask anyone who’s had the misfortune of dancing with me), I was happy to act as prompter – for want of a better term. That entailed running alongside the star performers and making sure they could hear the music they were miming to. It was a brilliant afternoon and I heartily recommend you listen to The Bleeding Obvious (far left). While you’re at it, read some of my other friend’s works at The Thinking Chimp (far right).
It got me thinking though. A year ago, I was hardly part of any Wakefield communities. Prior to starting a writing group (a year ago this month actually), I wasn’t in communication with other Wakefield writers. Sure, writers are solitary creatures, but there’s something about being part of a group that spurs you on. Wakefield Creative Writers has renewed my zeal for writing when I’ve been struggling, and it’s also introduced me to some wonderful friends and my fiance too.
It was also the catalyst for me getting involved in some things I wouldn’t previously have considered. I wouldn’t have joined a life drawing class, I wouldn’t be guest hosting poetry groups, and I certainly wouldn’t have been running around Thornes Park with a mobile amp on one of the hottest days of the year.
The point is, I think, that change feeds change. If you don’t start taking those first, very shaky, steps towards being part of a community – any community – then you might not find the right way to grow yourself and your writing career. More than that, you won’t have nearly as much fun.
One word of caution, however, before you pick up your laptop and scurry into the outside world: there is no shortcut to the actual writing side of things. Don’t minimize your writing time in favour of building your community network. If you do, you might find that your next novel or play or short story never makes it out of your imagination.
