Once again it's been a while since I've blogged but I think I've got a pretty good excuse this time for my absence. The past couple of months have been a bit of a whirlwind thanks to an exciting chat with a publisher one evening, then an exciting email, and then an even more exciting meeting where I heard the words, "So I loved your book, and I'd like to publish it."
It's hard to describe how that felt, hearing those words. Knowing that my book will be gracing the shelves of book shops (and libraries) and that I can sit it on my own shelf, alongside some of my favourite authors, all feels a bit surreal just now. I found the photo (above) and thought I should use it for this post. You might be able to see my reflection - I thought as I was taking the photo this was kind of cool, like it made me look as if I was a part of the library, inside the books. Books have always been such as big part of my life- it seemed appropriate.
Becoming a published author has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember, and there have been many times over the past few months in particular I've wondered how many more 'nearly theres' can I take. But for writers who are reading this and are still waiting for their big break my words to you today are, 'Don't give up! Keep going.' It might sound like a cliche, but you really don't know what is around the corner.
And also trust your instincts. I'm delighted my Young Adult novel Follow Me is going to be published by Strident Publishing, a Scottish publisher. When I first finished my book a few years ago I thought this publisher would be a good match for my work, but circumstances didn't make this possible until recently. This was also a lesson in seizing an opportunity and having the guts to pitch my work face to face. If you suddenly find yourself in a room with the publisher you want to be with, then make sure you talk to them!!
Working with an independent publisher has been fantastic so far - the personal touch and approachable nature has made everything feel very much like a team approach. I can't wait for my book to come out in October.
I'm sitting listening to a random music mix on my computer as I type this post and appropriately one of the songs I class as the 'soundtrack' to this book has just clicked on. (Which is Dots and Dashes by the Silversun Pickups if you want to know!). Any time I listen to songs like this, it takes me back to the nights I was immersed in getting the story down.
From the word go I loved writing this book, and that's what I'm always going to remember. Nothing beats the excitement of creating a story which demands to be told!
