Oh no! More rejection

Afternoon gang,

I'm off work today! Yay. I'm also off work on Monday! Long weekend. Yay!

Regular readers will know that I submitted an extract of my latest novel to the Ampersand agency. I was prepared for weeks of waiting and wondering. Thankfully, owing to being busy at work and their swift response, I haven't had to wait long.

In fact I received a pleasantly brief rejection email on the 5th of March. In fairness it didn't really register as I've got lots going on at the moment. But, because I don't learn and because I'm just that determined, I'm going to send the same piece to Carole Blake at Blake Friedmann. I follow her on Twitter so I know she reads the stuff she recieves and she is often quite vocal about some of the crap she receives.

In other news, for reasons unknown, sales have slumped a little this week. It's odd because I've been a bit more active on the promo front recently but things will pick up. They always do.

A highlight this week was being asked to sign a paperback copy of The Trust by a former colleague. Some have suggested said individual might be the basis of a character in the book. That's not strictly true. The character in question is based on an American chap. That said, as with all the characters in my books they are grounded in reality so draw your own conclusions when you buy a copy.

Right, that's all for now. Sandwich, haircut, painting etc etc

It's a Good Life

Evening gang,

Short one tonight because it's Monday and I'm tired because I was up until 3AM watching House of Cards on Netflix.

Richard Briers has died! Bloody shame because he was just really, really good at what he did. Serious stuff, the odd villain and of course The Good Life. Hopefully there will be plenty of his work screened in tribute.

In other news Liverpool were awesome yesterday which helped start the week right. And I've submitted an extract of The Trust to the Ampersand Agency. I'll keep you informed but we all know how it will end up.

Finally, I've tweaked the blurb for the new book. Shorter, tighter, better I think. Check it out:

"When a number of bodies are unearthed on the grounds of Moorcastle asylum in the historic city of Lancaster, ambitious young detective Tom Ashton quickly realises there is a link to the hastily arranged disposal of anthrax infected bodies from experiments conducted in 1942 by the Ministry of Defence on the west coast of Scotland.

Horrendous and unprecedented as this discovery is, this is not the heart of the book’s mystery. It quickly becomes apparent that far darker secrets lie buried on the site of the old asylum. Evidence is gathered pointing to abuse of patients within the asylum while Rhiannon Saxby, an employee of the Trust, has reason to believe a number of her colleagues are involved in a secret society which is playing God with the lives of patients. Her situation is made all the more difficult as her own mother was a patient at Moorcastle. Meanwhile Tom must also contend with the discovery of a body in the river and the very real possibility that a serial killer may be at work in the town. As the investigation progresses and the pressure increases Tom is certain of just one thing. The Trust is at the centre of it all."

 

That's all for tonight gang. Have a good night.

Further Agent Rejection

Morning folks,

Quick coffee break update as I'm at work.

Literally just had an email from The Ampersand Agency who very politely rejected the chance to represent me and my book The 24 Hour Jazz Cafe.

Still, that's only two so far, and I've only sent out four so we remain positive. Worst case scenario, I publish it myself on Kindle. Hurrah.

Dare to believe!