amazonI’m beginning to think that bringing a book to publication is a bit like a wedding. In your head, you have this perfect image of what it is going to be, and no matter how hard you work, reality chips away at that image changing it into something different. Like the bride in all those Wedding comedies, the author desperately holds onto the dream of an event they’ve been waiting their whole life for, whilst chaos reigns around them. Eventually, they give into reality and learn that it’s just as good, just different.

I had planned, to be perfectly honest, to get blindingly drunk on Boxing Day. I had a blog post all planned out (I have even got the graphics done ready). I have spent a long time waiting for this and get more than a little melodramatic. And then I hear it could be hitting Amazon a little early (Long story, all valid reasons I wholeheartedly support). I’m fine with this, I’m eager for people to get to read it and I believe flexibility is an essential skill to success in publishing (that and a sense of humour). I jokingly put people on ‘Novel Watch’ only to get a text a few hours later to say it’s out.
It’s out!
There are no trumpet fanfares, no fireworks, no marching bands. What there is, is a book page on Amazon, my book with Ironcow’s incredible cover. I’ve hardly had time for the Goodreads listing to sink in. It all feels a little unreal and strangely normal. Here I am having completed one of my life goals (and a major one at that) and it feels like any other day. It’s not so much a feeling of disbelief but weirdness of how real and everyday this seems. There’s also a sense of comedown. As anyone who knows me will testify, over the past few months I’ve worked tirelessly trying to promote the book, and whilst I still owe people blog posts and have a list of promotional activities that need to be done (promoting a book doesn’t stop once it is out), there’s currently a sense that I’ve crossed a finishing line of sorts.
Already, like a bright light to a mosquito, Amazon’s Sales rank has drawn me in – although the fact that it was #30 in the Fantasy Horror section and has now dropped to #35 has taught me what friends have been warning – “in that way lies madness”.
The EPUB version is still schedule for around Boxing Day but I’ll be sure to let people know if I hear any different. In the meantime, for all you Kindle readers, it’s now available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
What are you waiting for! It’s up for only 99p. Less for a quid for a book I’ve personally called “the best book of 2012” 😉
In seriousness though, if you read it and review it (whether it be on Goodreads, Amazon or on your own blog) be sure to send me a link. I’m interested to hear what people honestly think (good or bad, though I’ll be honest and say I’ll probably be more excited by the good!).