Success!

Last Saturday was my book signing in East Grinstead and I'm very pleased with how it went. I reached loads of new readers who otherwise wouldn't have been introduced to the series, and I walked away with a tidy profit which is always handy! The owner of the shop said he'd love to have me back at some point too, which is fantastic news. 

I learned a lot too. I've worked out that some readers are very sceptical of genres that are unfamiliar to them. It's a lot easier to sell fantasy to fantasy fans. That said, after explaining a little about the books, how they're really about the relationships between the characters set against a fantasy backdrop, I even managed to sell some copies to some fantasy sceptics, which was very gratifying indeed. 

This week I hear back about the revisions needed for the play, but so at the producers seem very happy! And only three and a half chapters left to go on the first draft of Lay Me Restless! Want to be a beta reader? Let me know :)

Sam

A Continuation of Good Things

So, what's new? In short, not much but also a lot. No, I'm not being philosophical or mysterious, just truthful. 

But what exactly do I mean? Well, in terms of 'Lay Me Restless' I haven't done much work at all. I've only got about six chapters of the first draft to write, so I'm hoping that when I get back to writing it the process should be pretty quick. Then it's just a matter of a few edits (I say this like it's a small job! Any author will tell you this is every bit as difficult as the first draft) before I send it to the Beta Readers. While I've got you, if anybody would like to be a Beta Reader (in other words get an advanced copy to give feedback on) then let me know! Message me on Facebook or Twitter or simply comment on this post. The more I have the better!

I suppose the obvious question is; 'Sam, if you're so close to the end of the book why don't you just write it?' And, for anyone who follows my blog posts regularly, the answer's probably quite obvious too. I've been focusing on the play I've been commissioned to write. I'm almost finished! I think I really just need one more full day to finish the story and then a little time to polish it up a little before I send it to the producers and director. With any luck, that should be next week. It's been a fun process, but a taxing one. With the play being an adaptation there's a lot to think about; making it your own, whilst also staying true enough to the original story for it to be recognisable. Still, it's soon to see the light of day and I can't wait :)

The independent bookshop at the cafe is going really well! I'm the best seller and the customers are all really interested. Even the ones who don't buy anything look at the novels (especially 'In the Footsteps of the Behemoth') and every time they do that the covers, titles, and my name become more recognisable. 

My book signing is next Saturday (20th) at East Grinstead bookshop. It's looking like it should be a really fantastic day. It's a beautiful bookshop in an old Tudor house. Surrounded by books, talking about books all day! What could be better?

In other news, I've just finished the Inheritance Trilogy by N.K Jemisin which is a must-read for Fantasy fans looking for something a little different. There will be reviews on Goodreads soon, but, for the moment, I'm back to working my way through 'In Search of Lost Time' by Proust. Yes, I am a literature nerd and I am okay with that.  

Until next week!

Sam