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 ofContinue reading “Author Updates”
Author Archives: Ashley
Bad Month, Good Progress ✍🏾
I’m not a new year’s resolution kind of guy. January always seems like the absolute worst time to throw yourself into something new and make promises to yourself: it’s cold, it’s dark and, for me at least, can often seem like a test of endurance to just make it through to longer, milder days. ForgetContinue reading “Bad Month, Good Progress ✍🏾”
It’s Official
It’s announcement day – I am going to be a published author in July 2024! This post is quite a leap in time since my last one in January. So much has happened this year that I need to go back to the first quarter. We sold! And not just one but two standalone books.Continue reading “It’s Official”
Out On Submission
My middle grade manuscript Shadow of the Orishas officially went out on submission to publishing houses this week. I’m full of hope, but having worked in publishing for almost the entirety of my career I’m also pragmatic. Publishing is a notoriously slow industry with often incredibly busy people with huge to-read piles. I know thatContinue reading “Out On Submission”
Achievement Unlocked!
Reader 🙂 In 2016 I started this blog, mostly for myself, to document my journey towards publication as a writer. The blog has chronicled two separate manuscripts that I’ve worked on, always getting closer to the ultimate goal. Well, there’s been a change in circumstances… I’m now an agented writer! It has happened! On ChristmasContinue reading “Achievement Unlocked!”
Visual Storytelling
Let me tell you how my latest story came together. As I type, I’m waiting to go and get my train to what will be the last wedding in a year of many great weddings. This particular marriage is that of one of my longest and closest friends. As part of the wedding day… frivolities…Continue reading “Visual Storytelling”
A Year of Submissions (and the Stats That Haunt You)
While updating my submission spreadsheet I noticed that it’s been just over a year since I started searching for an agent for my second novel manuscript. A year is a fair amount of time and, despite my mixed feelings, I decided to pour into the data to see exactly what the results of these pastContinue reading “A Year of Submissions (and the Stats That Haunt You)”
A Poem About Timing
It wasn’t my intention to make my first post of the year a moody one, but of the two pieces I’ve written, to start and end my day, this was actually the lighter one, believe it or not. This poem is called: Ephemeral Waltz You wanted so badly to dance in the light, to holdContinue reading “A Poem About Timing”
Tweaks
Part of the skill of a writer is knowing in your gut what works and what doesn’t but also knowing who to take advice from and who not to. Over the last week I’ve revisited my initial manuscript chapter to make some tweaks based on beta-reader impressions. Feedback received has been very useful, and it’sContinue reading “Tweaks”
The Struggle Is Real (agent hunting in 2018)
We’re almost three quarters of the way through 2018. That is a scary thought for the perpetual optimist. In the first quarter of the year I finished another edit on my manuscript that I considered ready to send out to agents for representation. My preparations were as good as I could have hoped for: coverContinue reading “The Struggle Is Real (agent hunting in 2018)”
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