Publication is 5 days and counting!

Excitement, trepidation, anticipation, joy, even exhaustion – I am feeling all of these and more since the advance copies of Not In Our Hands arrived in time for Christmas. I’ve been planning the launches, distribution and marketing for months.

Writing – and even editing – the book was easy, compared to the pressure exerted by this phase in the book’s life and mine. There have been three previews of publication in print so far and I have a radio interview booked for Monday. I’ve been so lucky in having offers of launches in four shops and counting, all spread so far from each other around Manchester that they won’t be competing directly.

But soon, there’s the bit I really enjoy – as well as the launches themselves – speaking to groups, here and there. So many people belong to groups which invite speakers, some every week, which takes effort on their part but very little on mine. So I’m keeping my head down till next week is over and the next journey begins. With an unconfirmed invitation to a Lit Fest, thing are looking good.