Daynote - Wed 11th Sep 2024 - Here we go!
Well. Here we are. One day to go. My attention is all over the place, some really lovely reviews are dropping and I am very, very excited.
ON DECK: I'll be honest, I have absolutely not stuck to my plan to try and get a little writing done each day. I did some on the train back from London on Monday evening (I managed to dodge some pretty big rail delays and got home on time, which was wonderful). Yesterday I did a promo reel for my friend Sam's book GORSE, which comes out the same day as mine. Then I went into Edinburgh to meet Marco from Page One, one of my absolute favourite writing podcasts. We shot a video interview (so it will be on their YouTube channel as well as audio) in a lovely studio in the New Town and I think I mostly managed to sound coherent.
After that I got a draft of a very exciting press release (should be out tomorrow) and then headed home and crashed hard. Turns out 2-3 days of intense travel and promo activity is very draining, who knew? So I've decided to take the next couple of days relatively easy, since I will then be very busy with launch day tomorrow and Bloody Scotland from Friday to Sunday.
This morning I posted up a reel of my favourite reader reviews (plus the press coverage we've got). This one was a lot of fun to put together.
There's also a lot of things going on behind the scenes (pre-launch numbers, newspaper pieces, event stuff) that is extremely exciting. Also, it's just kind of hitting me now that today is the last day I'll ever be an unpublished novelist. As of tomorrow, that is no longer true.
LISTENING: Jamming to Tycho's sunrise set at Burning Man. These have been great for years.
WATCHING: We wanted something classic last night, so we watched OPERATION MINCEMEAT, which is very much the kind of exquisitely crafted drama that the British film industry so excels at producing. An excellent script, shot through with dark humour and tension. And gorgeous to look at.
READING: Still working on NINTH LIFE but for, I hope, understandable reasons I'm making slow progress.
UP NEXT: Oh did I mention I have a book out? Well I do! Tomorrow! My debut novel will be on shelves and in mailboxes and popping up on Kindles. The audiobook is slightly delayed and will come out on Tuesday, but don't worry I'll be shouting about this book for MONTHS to come.
Tomorrow itself I'll be at Blackwell's in Edinburgh from 7pm with m'friend and colleague Nicholas Binge, followed by drinks at McGonnagall's on South Bridge from 8.30pm. The Blackwell's event is SOLD OUT (still gobsmacked) but there should be 2-3 tickets available on the door for the last-minuters among you. In any case, if you can't get in, please feel free to come along to the pub where I will happily sign your book.
And from Friday through to Sunday, I'm going to be at Bloody Scotland, where I'm taking part in the Crime in the Spotlight series. I'm reading before Frank Gardner's interview at 1pm on Saturday, at the Albert Halls. I'll be signing alongside Frank afterwards, and A RELUCTANT SPY will be available in the festival bookshop. If you're going to Bloody Scotland, please do say hi. I'll be the chap, probably in a checked shirt, wandering about looking a bit stunned.