So, I’m in a boxy Victorian hotel room in Earl’s Court, having just completed the first of two busy days at London Book Fair for work. It’s a killer making an early start to get a 5:55am train from Manchester, but my Tuesday got off to a great start when the (near) final cover of my book was emailed through to me 👀. And. It. Looks. Awesome! I tell you, the smile on my face when I saw how it’d evolved and been executed. In between meetings today I haven’t been able to stop looking at it. It’s really going to pop on a shelf or table in a bookshop. And now I can’t wait for the official reveal!
Last week was also a good one for me. I had my first school visits around World Book Day (even though my book isn’t out for another 4 months): first virtual visits and then a full day in-person visit on World Book Day itself. Although the target audience is 9-12, I did sessions with years 3-6 across the whole day, and I really loved it. When you spend so long working on a thing and just talking to adults about it, you almost forget who your work is really serving and so the emotion is heightened when you see kids engaging with you. I have a good thing going now with my talk and workshops, so can carry that confidence and experience into my school visits post-publication.
In other news, I also handed in my first draft of my next book to my editor (not really a first draft but the first version worthy of eyes on it, other than my own) so have been enjoying some much needed down time and weekend lie-ins. This is the story that took me out to Jamaica on research last November. I’m really proud of it as it took a long time for me to ensure its potential was being reached. And with feedback from my editor I’m sure it’s going to be elevated even further.
It probably seems weird to those outside of the industry that I’ve handed over a second book manuscript before the first is even out, but this is very much how it is. The lead time on books is loooong. Publishers plan schedules a couple of years ahead, so writers provide material or pitches way ahead. I’m already thinking beyond 2025 about the next thing. But I always make sure that whatever I’m writing, I’m 100% behind as I’ll be spending the best part of two years working on it in various respects. Proofs of book 1 should be with me soon, and it’s testament to how much love and care has gone into crafting it that every time I read it I feel the same joy.
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