1 Day!

Tomorrow my first book, Sorrowline, is published. This is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a small boy, a day I sometimes thought might never come. It’s been a long wait, but it’s finally here.

It’s a strange feeling, a mix of uncertainty and excitement, wondering what people will make of my book. I know some pre-ordered copies have already gone out from Amazon, and they’re on sale in Foyles, London, so there are people already reading my work. I’ve heard positive noises from friends and family, but the acid test is going to be the strangers who pick up my book. Will they like it? I sincerely hope so. One way to find out is to go out and meet those strangers. Thanks to New Writing North I’m doing a launch event!

The event is at Waterstones, Newcastle on Tuesday 29 January at 6.30pm and is a joint launch for Sorrowline and Celia Bryce’s teen novel Anthem for Jackson Dawes (Bloomsbury, 2013) which deals with bittersweet first love. Both of us are North East authors who have won Northern Writers’ Awards from New Writing North. We’ll be reading from our books and taking questions from the audience. It’s a free event, no booking required, and it’d be great to see you there!

As for tomorrow, I’m spending it with the family. We’ve planned a day out to celebrate, and I’m hoping to spot Sorrowline in the wild for the first time!