Dear Readers,

If there's been a deafening white noise emitting from this page, it's because I've been busy writing the sequel to NfB, but more about that later, and doing my job running the Masters in Creative Writing & Publishing at West Dean, so apologies for that. I'm taking advantage of a bit of a breather to write this message and let you know how our book has been doing in the past year and…

Dear All,

More brilliant news - Harper Collins Germany have bought the rights to publish NfB there under the title Familie und andere Trostpreise (Family and other Consolation Prizes), which I think is a great title. Not sure when publication will be, can't imagine the translation process is a quick one, but thinking Spring / Summer 2018. I've had a sneak preview of the cover, which looks fab too…

Hopefully by now you will have received your copy of Narcissism for Beginners, but if you haven't please let me know or contact Unbound directly because you should definitely have had it by now. Check your inbox first though in case you've overlooked the email asking for verification of your address.

And if you've already read and enjoyed the book (or even if you haven't) and are a member of Goodreads…

Dear lovely supporters, 

I am really excited (if not slightly terrified at the thought of NfB being read) to let you know that your special edition copies are in the process of being packed up and will be with you very soon... and what beautiful things they are. Unbound have done an incredible job on the production side to produce a really high-quality book with lots of extras that the trade edition…

before the opportunity to upgrade your pledge from eBook to hardback (just email support@unbound.com) or to make a new pledge for a friend and have their name printed in NfB expires...pledging closes at midnight next Monday 15th August.

Meanwhile, over at Unbound Towers, the first cover art ideas are in and they're all fabulous, so it's going to be a tough choice. That first glimpse of the cover…

I have news! Quite a lot of it. And none of it involves politicians, slimy or otherwise. We've been through the copy editing process, a relatively painless procedure thanks to the sharp eyes of Linda McQueen, and first proofs are being read by me and Unbound's proofreader as I write. The cover design process begins this month too.

And we have a new title. I've struggled to find the right title…

Every day* since 19th October 2015, I have found myself occupied with the following minute calculations:

• The value of one percent in cash money terms (currently £93.10)
• Multiplied by the number of percents required to clamber over the next major hurdle
• That amount divided by the average amount pledged so far
• The number of people required to pledge said average amount in order to clamber…

Yes, Christmas is coming and the world and its bank account is already under enough pressure / broke / drunk (can a bank account be drunk?), so I won't keep you long...but I did just want to let you know that I've added a few rare James-related items to my pledge options (for those under 35, James is a band who had a huge hit called Hose It Down, or something like that, and I used to be their manager…

The first draft of this story, written about 4 years ago, went by the title, The Grace of Guru Bim, and was very different in every way, but particularly in terms of structure and narrative voice, to the novel as it stands now, one full rewrite and two and a half complete redrafts later.

My first draft focused on Guru Bim, a character who has since evolved into Sonny's father in Things We Can't…

...and chug towards the halfway mark, it strikes me that if each of you 106 lovely supporters were able to persuade just one other person to pledge - well, we'd be almost there in no time! No pressure obviously, just a thought...the llamas thank you.

Thanks everyone for your generosity. And welcome to my shed. It's a bit cozy - mind the chain saw....