On Writing: It wasn’t that I forgot to tell you, but…

I think I thought that if I blogged about it, that it’d somehow make me stop and think and, maybe, sometimes, it’s best NOT to think too much. Does that make sense?

Because, ’99 Reasons Why’ had a review in the Guardian, this is some of it:

‘It’s narrated by 22-year-old Kate, who lives an erratic life on a local estate, with mam, who’s stolen an identity to rack up debt on catalogue shopping, dad, who’s permanently “on the sick”, and uncle Phil, a local gangster with whom mam is having a fling. Kate’s life is spent closeted in her bedroom obsessively recording the comings and goings at the Kevin Keegan Day Nursery outside her window, while dreaming about how she is really the secret daughter of Princess Diana. Her ruminations on her chaotic family – each starting off with a “reason why”, from “the reason why I hate me dad and think he’s not right in the head” to “the reason why me and me mam have 1980s-style Princess Diana haircuts” – are witty and touching.’

And I’ve been really worrying about how people will react to ’99 Reasons Why’. But this reviewer, who I do not at all know, really ‘got’ it. I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I was and still am.

And I’ve agreed the promise of a film option for novel 4, ‘The Drowning of Arthur Braxton’. This is ABSOLUTELY huge for me. This means that I’ve promised the option of the film to a rather lovely director. Actually I’ve been working with him for a year (and been too terrified to tell people) and he’s very much guided the writing of ‘Arthur’. He’s been a bit ace. Next, the option is signed over to him. And he has a year to sell the rights. And I know that MANY books are optioned and that FEW options are made into films, I also know that some people are critical of me even mentioning this option here. But that’s what my blog’s always been about and I have to believe, otherwise what’s the point? More on that, soon.

And National Libraries Day has been and gone. Three events and a radio interview in a week and I’ve been reminded about just how essential libraries and librarians are to writers. Meeting members of reading groups, hearing their reactions to my writing, and being asked different questions at every event – I’ve loved being a writer this last week.

And Nik and I have completed the final proofs for ‘Freaks!’. And now it’s back to the edits for the ’100 word flash fiction collection’ (yes, I know, still no title). And I’m getting ready for ‘99 Reasons Why’ being out next month and ‘Freaks!‘ a month later. EEK! And possibly I should submit ‘the Drowning of Arthur Braxton’ to Scott (as it’s already on Amazon). And possibly I should be looking for an agent.

So, you see, I’m thinking it’s best not to think TOO much, because, really, there’s too much to think about. I’d rather just hold on for the ride.