FOPP Signing

Four years ago I quit my job in teaching. I had a plan to move to Spain, get a part time job to cover basic living expenses and write. It didn't quite work out as planned for all sorts of reasons but those few months of having no job, when I had to write each and every day to justify what I was doing to myself, were the turning point. For years I'd daydreamed about being a writer and done next to nothing about it. Now I had a quota to reach each day and time to dedicate myself to what I wanted to do.

I split my time equally between two activities:

1. Writing

2. Looking for places to publish my works

I stumbled across a BBC Get Writing Competition, entered it and was a finalist. I discovered Openwide Magazine (who published my first short story), the Orphan Leaf Review and Ralan's Market List, places I visit regularly still. I had to go back into teaching but I was a different person. I had a belief that I could do it if I tried. So I tried some more.

I sent off stories and got rejections. I sent off children's novels and got rejections. But every now and then a small magazine said "yes" to a story and every now and then a publisher/agent sent back a letter that said more than simply "no thanks". I discovered TQR Stories in the USA and Thriller UK Magazine and Litro and they all said "yes".

I learned how to take the knockbacks (by writing more stories and working on novels harder) and I learned how to approach publishers. My girlfriend was crucial at this point, forcing me to approach publishers with belief and subtle persuasiveness. I developed a writing CV. I spent time working on submission letters, biographies, synopses and pitches. In short, I became more professional.

On Saturday 23rd June I get to give a talk and sign copies of Asboville in the FOPP store in Canterbury. It's at 1pm in the afternoon, their busiest time of the week. It's the biggest and most important event I've done since I started this whole thing.

I'm deeply grateful to everyone at FOPP for arranging this. Hopefully it's the start of a beautiful relationship!!!!!