So here it is… No, stop, Justin. I’m not doing two Christmas song puns in August. But woo! It’s tomorrow! The Lost War will be out in the world, and everyone will finally be able to see what I’ve done with the last year of my life.
Which makes today sort of odd. It’s a weird mix of anticipation and terror. So far, the responses have been universally very positive. But still. It’s scary sending a book out into the world. Exciting, but scary. And I’ve spent much of today not really knowing what to do with myself. I’ve set up some Facebook ads for tomorrow. I’ve posted about the great review from the fabulous Anna Stephens. And otherwise, I’ve basically mowed the lawn (the first cut of our new grass – terribly exciting) and done some laundry.
I sit here now, typing this, waiting for a proof of the paperback to arrive, so that I can check it’s OK to release tomorrow along with the ebook. It turns out it’s tricky laying out a map over two pages, and the only way to see if you’ve got it right is to see it in print. So the paperback *might* also be out tomorrow, but it might not. (Fingers crossed).
Otherwise, I’m mostly waiting for my wife to get home from work and save me from my inability to focus on anything. In fact, we also have a deadline to submit a pitch to the BBC tomorrow for another children’s story, so that will be our evening.
Oh, and hey! Those of you on the mailing list (Not on the mailing list? You could have read the first two chapters of The Lost War by now, if you were…) remember how I said it would be nice if this year could go a little more smoothly than the last? Guess where I was on Saturday night when I was supposed to be seeing my mate Jason John Whitehead at the Fringe? That’s right, A&E. (ER for our American friends). Apparently I am a medical mystery, but working theories are my crippling stomach pains were either an ulcer or a leftover gallstone. I was most disappointed Hugh Laurie didn’t show up to diagnose me via the medium of psychological abuse. I’ll be getting a camera stuck down my throat to investigate, instead. I hear it’s fun!
Anyway, back to the interesting stuff. Book out tomorrow. Possible book launch in Edinburgh in September. Back into writing I Don’t Like Mundanes soon. It’s all very exciting! See you on the other side…
J
PS – If you read the book and like it, I would be *eternally* grateful if you’d consider leaving reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. If you read it and hate it, shut up and keep it to yourself! 🙂