Bit perturbed I haven’t posted on the www. since July . . . here’s why and what’s been happening:
First up, I was done in – physically and emotionally. Physically, too many years at a desk caught up with me. (Hence ‘Festive Greetings from the Osteopath’s Clinic’ pic). Have had sorts of joint and spine problems, but I’m on it. Emotionally . . .
Who Runs the World? was the hardest thing I’ve ever written – both the writing of it, and then the working out how to talk about it . . . and that’s the tricky thing you don’t always see writers discuss.
For me, working out how to talk about a book is almost as hard as writing it. It involves taking many steps back from ideas and feelings you spent hours and weeks and months crawling towards, getting so close to them you and the story become fused. Separation feels strange – and hurts. It’s a slow extraction. (I still miss Ruby Morris!)
I have been mightily assisted in this process by a series of events: BristolCon Fringe, school visits in Cardiff (Ysgol Uwchradd Caerdydd) and Penarth (St Cyres), the ever-amazing YALC at the London Film & Comic Con, Ujima Radio, DeptCon in Dublin, Bristol Lit Fest, BBC Radio Bristol, BristolCon and an #AuthorsforGrenfell visit to the fabulous, creative Ysgol Brynrefail in Gwynedd. Special thanks to the booksellers: to Waterstones (esp Bristol Galleries) and Easons, and the indies: Griffin Books of Penarth, Palas Print of Caernarfon, and the very lovely and supportive Books on the Hill in Clevedon. (And to the super-dynamic Cheryl Morgan for making so much happen!)
Ah, you know me . . . I’d go on and on thanking people – most of all: readers. In a very troubled year for pretty much the whole world, we somehow manage to connect and feel and think. Thank you!
I’m learning to represent River and Mason and their story – now shortlisted for the Wirral Book Award, the Grampian Book Award and nominated for the 2018 CILIP Carnegie Medal.
And . . . I’m writing a new story! (Plot outline below . . . pages and pages of notes and it boils down to this . . . !)
