Daynote - Wed 4th Sep 2024

EIGHT DAYS! What? And this morning I got sent this new blurb from Robert Rutherford, author of the Sunday Times bestselling Seven Days, which is wonderful on several levels. As a writer, being told your debut is 'polished and assured' is just immensely gratifying, only matched by hearing that the story itself works and is a 'globe-trotting runaway read'. Everyone who writes action-focused thrillers wants to create that 'one more page' feeling, so it's really reassuring, this close to launch, to hear that my book is gripping readers.

I also got written up by my local newspaper yesterday (the story will also be in the print edition next week) which feels like a real milestone. This is a paper I've been reading since I was a kid, so appearing in its pages feels fantastic.

ON DECK: Really got rolling this morning, getting 2,010 words and finishing the first chapter of the SCARLET sample I'm working on. It's a fun intercut chapter with two POVs and I was really enjoying the interplay between the two viewpoints. AND I got out for a walk, on a glorious sunny September morning. I love this time of year, when it's still warm enough to just go out with a shirt on, but not yet cold enough for a jacket, so I tend to get back from my walk a lot less sweaty. All-in-all, a lovely writing day.

LISTENING: I've been listening to the Henry Green Remix of 'Juno' by Parra for Cuva pretty much on repeat the last couple of days after I used it in an Instagram reel looking back at the last nine months. Something about it just brings a smile to my face.

WATCHING: Third episode of THE RINGS OF POWER last night. Continue to find it gorgeous-looking ho-hummery.

READING: More NINTH LIFE last night and the stakes are rising significantly. One thing Stark Holborn is great at is introducing small casts of characters and then making you fall in love with them very rapidly, while also recognising that they are legitimately awful/terrifying people. And so it is with this book.

UP NEXT: Tomorrow will be ONE WEEK to go. Can't quite believe it. But I will keep on trucking - more writing, bit of promo, try not to freak out. You know, the writer's life.