
I read double my reading quota to ease my guilt. In the self-published corner:
- I read Oddjobs, a brilliant supernatural cop comedy by Heide Goody and Iain Grant. It is best described as Men In Black meets Pacific Rim but set in Birmingham. I absolutely loved it. Bring on the imminent sequel.
- I also read Mythfits, a fantastical short story collection from the writers of Oddjobs. It contains a hodgepodge of tales, some within the Clovenhoof universe and others entirely original. The last story, Uncle Kantzaros, is a particular treat.
And in the traditionally-published corner:
- I read Death On The Nile, another classic Agatha Christie murder mystery. I was prompted by the trailer for Murder On The Orient Express, which looks set to kick-start a whole series of Poirot films.
- I also read Kings Of The Wyld by Nicholas Eames, which was incredible! It is a fantasy epic where mercenaries are treated like rock stars. One ageing warrior tries to put the band back together for a perilous journey to save his daughter from a horde of monsters. It is an action-packed adventure and absolutely hilarious.
So what else have I been up to?
- I have started editing my 16,000 word novella, one of my quartet of stories written during JuNoWriMo.
- I reached out to my illustrator to commission a cover for Breadcrumbs 2.
- I attended the book launch of The Grass Trail by AA Abbott. You can enjoy my natural pose above.
- I discovered Book To The Future won't be happening this year. BTTF is the literary festival hosted by the University of Birmingham in October. I have spoken at the past three festivals with Katharine D'Souza about how to self-publish. I am sad it won't be happening but will use the time to write instead.
- I have been writing my best man's speech for my friend's wedding. More stressful than writing a novel!