Deg delayed until November (this is a good thing)

Sorry if you’d pre-ordered and were counting the days, but Urbane’s delayed Deg. It’s now releasing on November 10, and not the previously expected October 6.

Why? A few reasons. Firstly, my publisher, Matthew, needs more time to sell-in the ideas he’s had for Deg’s launch (which we haven’t talked about publicly yet). Secondly, books released too early in the year can’t be entered for certain prizes, so it needs to be pushed back a little to ensure it has the best chance of gong-glory.

I’m glad of the delay, in truth. Had we launched as planned it would have felt rushed (I know it’s hardly the entertainment world’s most anticipated event, mais quand même), and this’ll mean it’ll get the best send-off possible. All told, it’s good news for both myself and Ste, Deg’s illustrator.

So that’s that. As for the rest of my writing, I’m in the middle of a new first draft. There’s still a great deal of work to do before I complete, although, should Grandnanny Cosmos be lenient, I’ll be done before the end of the year. This project has been deliberately longer and more considered than the previous two. The subject itself is more complex and I was committed to experimentation both in process and immediacy this time, to slowing the flow somewhat to see if I could row through clearer waters rather tearing at the riverbed with my oars.

I can’t tell anything about the result yet, but it’s been a valuable exercise. I’ve taken to writing on paper then transferring to digital, adding an enforced, cleansing pass before the words settle into the initial manuscript, which this time feels more like a living document to which I’m adding from all directions. This method is slower, but the structure demands more consideration. I have no idea if this is good. It’s more ponderous, and literally less productive, so while it’s a broadening exercise it’s tinged with uncertainty. I guess you can tell me if it’s worthwhile if you ever get to read it.

Once this draft is complete I intend to focus on edits for the sort-of-completed book which I’m sort-of-pitching-but-not-really, and then I’ll get back to the current project. Hopefully, I’ll have two books completed in 2017, leaving me free to start writing another in the middle of next year. I’m greatly looking forward to a fresh start.

Deg, though. If you haven’t pre-ordered yet but were of the opinion that you might, then please do. Every sale massively helps everyone involved, not just me. I’ll have more news on the launch soon.