So what have I done today? You might be thinking I’ve gone out touring bookshops or celebrating the launch of the new book, but Launch Day is a curiously odd thing. Curiously odd, and an anti-climax.
In 2007, when The Secret War was published, the Launch Day was terrible. It was a complete downer, like organising the biggest party in the world only for nothing to happen. It was saved only by the timely intervention of my wife, Sarah, who put on a surprise party for me (the photos of which can be found here). But other than that it was a sad little day – none of the bookshops had copies in stock, and it wasn’t until two weeks after 'Launch Day' that half of the bookshops in Sheffield had The Secret War on their shelves. I was, perhaps understandably, miffed.
The main problem with ‘Launch Day’ is that for most writers very little happens. It’s rare that a book finds its way into every bookshop on ‘Launch Day’, and rarer still for it to create a stir from day one. Unless you’re a writer with a bestselling career behind you, you’re never going to get those bookselling headlines from the Launch Day, i.e. how many units sold (numbers that are more like casualty figures from the first day’s fighting in World War One). As an author, published amongst over a hundred others that month, you have to be pragmatic. Being pragmatic is the only thing that can keep a writer sane when they’re published (that and an infinite amount of patience).
This is my second launch day, and even though I have prior experience, it still it feels like an anti-climax. Sure, ‘round here some bookshops stock The Hoard of Mhorrer or the paperback of The Secret War (one bookshop was even selling the paperback of The Secret War before the launch date – making the whole thing feel even more unreal!). But there’s always an author who has better coverage than you, someone who’s made it onto one of the presentation tables, or the window, or even the 3 for 2 section (which is in itself quite a bonkers thing to be jealous of – would anyone feel pleased about being discounted so early? Oddly we writers do…) The fact that other authors are moaning about you in the same way never enters your mind, but there you go. There is no such thing as consistency in bookselling across the UK!
But, and being pragmatic about it, the disappointment of 'Launch Day' is illusory. After all, 'Launch Day' is not the start of something, it’s the middle chapter in the life of the book, and we’ve all be disappointed by middle chapters only for the next ones to blow us away. On the 8th January, I’ll be attending the first public appearance for The Hoard of Mhorrer, in Sheffield. It’ll be followed by the London launch of the book at Goldsboro Books off Charing Cross Road on the 16th. I think that will be the point when it feels like something is happening with the book, where the illusion becomes something more tangible (it certainly did with the first book). Whether or not the following chapters after ‘Launch Day’ will be more uplifting... Well, there’s already been a creditable review of The Hoard of Mhorrer in January's edition of Sci-Fi Now Magazine (the first review of the book, as I understand it) so I’m certain they will be.
In 2007, when The Secret War was published, the Launch Day was terrible. It was a complete downer, like organising the biggest party in the world only for nothing to happen. It was saved only by the timely intervention of my wife, Sarah, who put on a surprise party for me (the photos of which can be found here). But other than that it was a sad little day – none of the bookshops had copies in stock, and it wasn’t until two weeks after 'Launch Day' that half of the bookshops in Sheffield had The Secret War on their shelves. I was, perhaps understandably, miffed.
The main problem with ‘Launch Day’ is that for most writers very little happens. It’s rare that a book finds its way into every bookshop on ‘Launch Day’, and rarer still for it to create a stir from day one. Unless you’re a writer with a bestselling career behind you, you’re never going to get those bookselling headlines from the Launch Day, i.e. how many units sold (numbers that are more like casualty figures from the first day’s fighting in World War One). As an author, published amongst over a hundred others that month, you have to be pragmatic. Being pragmatic is the only thing that can keep a writer sane when they’re published (that and an infinite amount of patience).
This is my second launch day, and even though I have prior experience, it still it feels like an anti-climax. Sure, ‘round here some bookshops stock The Hoard of Mhorrer or the paperback of The Secret War (one bookshop was even selling the paperback of The Secret War before the launch date – making the whole thing feel even more unreal!). But there’s always an author who has better coverage than you, someone who’s made it onto one of the presentation tables, or the window, or even the 3 for 2 section (which is in itself quite a bonkers thing to be jealous of – would anyone feel pleased about being discounted so early? Oddly we writers do…) The fact that other authors are moaning about you in the same way never enters your mind, but there you go. There is no such thing as consistency in bookselling across the UK!
But, and being pragmatic about it, the disappointment of 'Launch Day' is illusory. After all, 'Launch Day' is not the start of something, it’s the middle chapter in the life of the book, and we’ve all be disappointed by middle chapters only for the next ones to blow us away. On the 8th January, I’ll be attending the first public appearance for The Hoard of Mhorrer, in Sheffield. It’ll be followed by the London launch of the book at Goldsboro Books off Charing Cross Road on the 16th. I think that will be the point when it feels like something is happening with the book, where the illusion becomes something more tangible (it certainly did with the first book). Whether or not the following chapters after ‘Launch Day’ will be more uplifting... Well, there’s already been a creditable review of The Hoard of Mhorrer in January's edition of Sci-Fi Now Magazine (the first review of the book, as I understand it) so I’m certain they will be.
And besides, this year I have other things on my mind – some as important, and some vastly more important. For me, this year won’t just be about The Hoard of Mhorrer or The Secret War, but it will certainly be part of it.
So what will I be doing today, of all days: this Launch Day? Well, I’ve already finished a few errands for the weekend, I’ve read a little (the wonderful Affinity Bridge by George Mann), and updated this blog. But more importantly, I’ll be doing the one thing that has brought me here, and perhaps why you are reading this now: the writing. I’ve got a couple of short stories I want to finish off this weekend, and what better time to start that than today.
Sure, being published is great, but if ‘Launch Day’ has shown me anything, it’s that nothing can beat the joy of writing - when you take that first step into a bright new project.
That first chapter…
So what will I be doing today, of all days: this Launch Day? Well, I’ve already finished a few errands for the weekend, I’ve read a little (the wonderful Affinity Bridge by George Mann), and updated this blog. But more importantly, I’ll be doing the one thing that has brought me here, and perhaps why you are reading this now: the writing. I’ve got a couple of short stories I want to finish off this weekend, and what better time to start that than today.
Sure, being published is great, but if ‘Launch Day’ has shown me anything, it’s that nothing can beat the joy of writing - when you take that first step into a bright new project.
That first chapter…
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