Post-Publication

THE LEAPING was published at the end of April. I spent the day at work, not concentrating. I was wondering what I was supposed to be doing. I was very conscious that nothing actually was happening that day to me in any tangible sense; I wasn’t getting a letter through the post or anything. It wasn’t a bad thing, it was just weird. It was weird because it was so exciting and at the same time the same as most other days. I mean, it was VERY exciting. Don’t get me wrong.

Nicholas Royle texted me some photos he’d taken:

(THE LEAPING in WHSmiths in Manchester).

(THE LEAPING in the Arndale Centre branch of Waterstones).

Getting those photos was very exciting; ‘IT’S ON THREE-FOR-TWO!’ I thought to myself, excitedly. ‘IT’S ON THE TABLES! IT’S IN THE ‘HORROR’ SECTION! IT’S FACING OUTWARDS!’ I can’t tell you how exciting it really was. Really very exciting.

It was really a very good day, topped off by the setting up of a working digibox and an evening watching the Leader’s Debate alongside all of the wit and rage of Twitter. Sounds like a strange way to celebrate maybe, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

People are asking me if I know how well the book is selling. I would love to know, but at the same time realise that being told the actual numbers might be quite disheartening. I imagine that if there was such a thing as a daily report (I don’t think there is) it would look something like a countdown from ten. Friday – ten copies sold, Saturday – nine, etc. Apparently the volume of sales out of shops won’t be known for a while. That suits me fine. I would love to know, but at the same time don’t want to know at all. I have been obsessively checking and re-checking the Amazon sales ranking, like some kind of egotistical lunatic, and that’s quite interesting but not very illuminating, because there is no way of knowing how many sales the ranking represents.

I am, in theory, busy re-drafting my second novel, THE THING ON THE SHORE, but in reality I haven’t found the time. I need to find that time quite urgently, so will actually leave this blog post here, apart from a few links to reviews/interviews. I will link to all reviews of THE LEAPING actually, even ones I’ve linked to before. There are a couple more reviews/interviews to come, so I will update this over the next few weeks.

Like all reviews, they tell you a little bit about the book; I wouldn’t say they give anything away though. If you’re very spoiler-averse you might disagree… I don’t know.

http://ow.ly/2maqB – Kate Feld of The Manchizzle blog reviews The Leaping.

http://ow.ly/1VfZu – An interview by the author Alan Kelly, for 3:AM Magazine.

http://ow.ly/1UFmu – A review in The Times!

http://ow.ly/1Ph2a – A review from prolific book blogger and critic David Hebblethwaite.

http://ow.ly/1PgWa – A review from the writer Cavan Scott.

http://paulmagrs.com/blogs/?p=358 – A review from writer Paul Magrs.

http://www.markmorriswriter.com/news.htm – A review from writer Mark Morris.

http://kamvision.blogspot.com/2010/04/leaping-review.html – A review from comprehensive SF&F reviewer Kamvision.

http://ow.ly/1Gxa3 – A very in-depth interview with Kamvision.

http://bit.ly/cU8a21 – A review from the one and only Bookmunch. A focus on the more sexual aspect of the book, maybe. (Just so you know).

http://bit.ly/c3Jvdw – A interview with Bookmunch, in which we talk about all kinds of things. This also includes a link to a video of me reading from the book, which I can’t bring myself to watch.

http://ow.ly/1PgXV – An interview with Kim McGowan for the Lancashire Writing Hub.

http://ow.ly/1Gv1n – A review in the wonderful Hub magazine.

http://ow.ly/1GrTt – details of a reading and signing event at Waterstones in Manchester.

http://ow.ly/1RKiY – Amazon page, with reviews and, of course, the option to buy the book.

Thank you very much to everybody who’s bought it so far – it’s much appreciated.

I am listening to ‘Milk’ by Garbage, on Spotify. Should I be ashamed? I feel a little bit ashamed but obviously not ashamed enough to refrain from telling you all.