To all my backers,

Do hope everybody's had a great summer...

It's been a busy head-down few months trying to get Song into good shape. The manuscript has been edited (rewrites/reworks) by the incredible Liz Garner; copyedited (to make it bang-on accurate) by the astute Miranda Ward, and now I'm looking at dust jacket designs (presently verdant, lush imagery). It feels almost tangible now.

Regarding publishing date, although we could still very much be on schedule for a spring launch, Unbound have decided to push it back to May/June 2018. They tell me this is great news. Song, a sweeping epic, is a typical summer read, they say, and they had hoped the distributor -- Penguin Random House -- would be able to make this timing happen. I confess my initial reaction was disappointment but they've convinced me this is much the best decision for the book. I hope you won't feel too cheated by having to wait a few more months. Sorry. Backers should get their copies in May (a month before the bookshops).

What else? I did a short talk about Song at an event co-hosted by the Guyana and Dominica High Commission discussing the rainforest landscape/backdrop of Song. Also, I read an extract from Song last week when I was teaching a travel writing course at Scotland's Creative Writing Centre; loved being up in the Highlands. https://www.moniackmhor.org.uk/courses/travel-mchelle-jana-chan-sara-wheeler-hugh-thomson/ 

I'll be in touch wtih news of upcoming talks in case anyone's interested in coming along.

More soon. 

Michelle x