Are you brave enough to make big decisions?

Afternoon gang,

I've been doing a lot of pondering recently, hence the question posed above. As ever there's plenty going on but each thing is getting sorted in typical fashion. Face stuff head on and roll over it. We've been outlaying cash like we've been robbed so far this year. Vets bills, the roof, luxury set of Le Creuset pans which I admit we could have lived without but they are smart. It all adds up but it's all sorted.

Performance at work is okay, good enough that they've just extended my contract again until the summer. I've also got a job interview to work locally too which is giving me even more options. Less money, but enough money, and less travel.

I'm doing a book signing at the end of March and on the face of it, all is well.

And yet....

The bottom line is I'd rather work less and write more. A chap I know online, we're Facebook and Goodreads friends, called Stuart, is a writer. He sells lots more than me, but then he does seem to try a bit harder than me too in that he writes every night. He's so keen on the idea of making a living from writing that he's actively applying for lower paid jobs which will allow him more time to write. He's basically backing his own talent and drive to succeed. I admire him for it as it's something I've talked a lot about and never dared to do. It gets harder with each passing year as I earn more money and, on the face of it, have more to lose. But that little voice keeps whispering in my head, every day, you're a writer. It's all you want to do. So why are we sitting in this meeting talking about project x?

I'm regarded as decisive. I manage people, projects, I'm in charge of stuff, I sort stuff out. But when it comes to this I dance round it, have done for years. It is, I suspect, the source of all my frustration. But, here's the flipside, while I stay at work full time I get to moan about lack of time to write etc, while having plenty of cash and a very comfy life. But if I did quit, write full time, then it would come down to luck, talent etc. I'd have no excuse if I didn't succeed and then what would I do? It's a grim thought because I've never really failed at anything and I'm 37. I don't think I'd take it well.

And so we carry on. Work on Monday...

In other news, I've uploaded a cheeky promo video to YouTube for you to look at. Nothing spectacular. I just did it as a test to see how hard it was to do. If it generates traffic I'll doubtless make more use of it as a promo tool in the future. It's just a slideshow set to music at the moment but might be worth developing. I'm not short of ideas.

The paperback has been delayed for no other reason than I am unable to finish the cover because the Createspace website is currently not working. As soon as it's fixed I'll get it done, ten minute job. Book is re-formatted and re-edited and better than ever.

The paid for promo will be out on Monday. It's via Kindleboards with a view to lifting my American sales. I'll be pointing you towards it on the day.

Right, I brew time, hour on the Xbox and one eye on the football scores. Tonight and tomorrow, bit of writing (yay) on the new book FEAR. It's totally different to my other books, but awesome.

The Stone Roses and Agents

Evening folks,

It's been a very lively few days and in all the excitement I forgot to mention I went to a concert on Friday night. Myself and a few friends went to see the Stone Roses at Heaton Park, their first gig of any note in over 15 years. I won't bore you with the details because if you're interested you were either there or have watched the videos on Youtube. Suffice to say, in years to come I will be able to say I was there and it's something that I and my friends will talk about whenever we meet up.

Aside from that the wife turned 40. I went large with the present budget which seemed to be the right play. Lots of tears and talk of it being the perfect weekend. So that's not done me any harm long term.

One thing I haven't done is write. Not a word in weeks. It's a particular shame because the new Mitch and Rupert book was pouring out of me. I've decided to print off what I've done so far, read it and try to get back into the flow. Fingers crossed.

Still no response from the material I emailed to Simon Trewin, but I've let it go now. On the other hand I did get a couple of Tweets from Carole Blake so I'm toying with the idea of sending something to her. Humour me, I have a blind spot when it comes to rejection.

Sales remain steady, if a little slower which I'm putting down to it being summer and my doing less promo. Mind you, the British summer has been so bad I'm surprised more folk aren't indoors reading.

Until next time...