Tuesday 11 October 2011

Hot Air

I am calling this, my first blog post, Hot Air because that is after all what dragon’s breath is. So what to write about, I came up with some brilliant ideas while driving home earlier, but as is the way with great ideas as soon as I got back here they all disappeared straight out of my head. Now I’m sat here staring at my laptop trying hard not to think about what may be in my ‘inbox’.
The thing is, I am a little on edge at the moment because around a fortnight ago I e-mailed the manuscript of my first novel, Vortex, to Night Publishing. They will now be reading, editing etc. before returning it to me to make any alterations and corrections that need doing (I’m assuming that’s what will happen never having been in this situation before). I am as you can imagine very excited and unable to wait to hear what they think of it. But there is also an insecure, self-doubting side of me that believes they opened the file, read the first few pages, uttered a few curses and then hit the delete button! In reality I know this didn’t happen, if it had been that bad they would have let me know straight away, wouldn’t they? I have had some really great feedback from people who have already read it, so common sense tells me it can’t be that bad. All the same it is a very nerve wrecking time for me, Vortex has been such a large part of my life for the last two and a half years. It’s a little like watching your child take a lead role in their very first school play.
Which brings me back to my first blog. While waiting to find out what they think of Vortex, I’m finding it difficult to settle to do anything very constructive, but I do need to build an ‘author platform’ apparently. This magical bit of self promotion is usually made up of web sites, Facebook pages, Tweeting like crazy and blogging, among other things so I’m told and will help people find me and my novel when it makes it on to Amazon’s virtual bookshelf. So here I am scratching my head trying to think of something interesting to write.
I have got loads of ideas for future blogs (must make a note of them now because I’ll only forget them later!). I’ll be letting you know how I’m getting on with publishing Vortex and writing the next novel in the trilogy (I forgot to mention Vortex is the first book in a trilogy called ‘Return of the Effra’). I would also like to write about a favourite subject of mine, fantastic and mythical creatures, as well as reviewing books I’ve been reading.
I am of course always open to suggestions, especially ideas of what I could write about in this my first blog please. All thoughts and comments will be gratefully received.
Well I can’t hold out any longer, I’m off to check my inbox for the ten thousandth time today, so till next time,

‘Travel safe on life’s path and may your soul stay free.’