29th August - Release Day

Today is the official birthday of More Than Us. The day it goes out into the world, and people I don’t know get to read it, love it, or hate it… most likely somewhere in between.

Almost two years since I first sat down to write it (after THAT dream - the one that presented me with a full detailed plot, start to finish, fully developed characters… I’ve since learned that the universe doesn’t normally present such gift-wrapped inspiration). A year after I discovered that the first draft is a quarter of the work, and entered the world of editing, querying, re-editing, talking myself out of throwing it away... There was even a moment when, up against a deadline, and having taken a tumble down the stairs, I found myself editing flat on my back in hospital with my laptop balanced on my stomach - good times.

It’s my first novel, and it’s written with heart and soul. Early reviews have made me see my own work through fresh eyes. When someone says they didn’t see the plot twists coming, or they had to sit for a few minutes to absorb the surprise at the end, it’s a great feeling. I didn’t set out to write a twisty story with a surprising ending, the characters did that for me.

My son has told me never to use a selfie on my blog. He says it looks ‘low-effort’ and a little bit naff. But who sets up a photo-shoot for life’s big moments? So here’s a photo of me, make-up free, book in one hand, phone in the other, the day my book was born.