I canāt believe we are 18 days into June, I blinked and now weāre here. Iāve been v. offline outside of author social media so have missed loads!
Went to london on June 1. Plans with sister were cancelled last min as she was sick, so just had a lovely dinner and went to the theatre with T.
My publisherās showcase night was the next day and it went so well. I had to go through in the afternoon to sign 100 copies of the book (!!!) and got to spend time with incredible authors I so admire. I managed to keep it together during my panel and not freak out too much at all the phones and cameras being pointed at me (this is the part of authorship I am not super comfortable with but we move!) then it was a party and my publisher got me and T an uber home cause of the tube strikes, which was a relief! We got the train home early the next day, I was socially wiped out.
Then the day after that I had my first Gaelic speaking exam, so I spent the day studying and revising cause while obviously I chose to do this course and itās fine not to do well, I really want to learn this language and have invested so much time and money already so it felt silly not to give it my all!
The day after that, Friday, was the first day of an Edinburgh sci-fi and fantasy book conference. I wasnāt speaking at this until the Sunday, but a pal had a panel on friday and I wanted to meet some writers Iād only chatted to online. Lots of fun, but I ended up leaving earlier than planned as I was wiped out.
On the saturday I was supposed to go to the conference BUT audiobook things were happening for my book at my publisher, eee! And things had to move quicker than expected due to some scheduling issues so I had this day and this day only to record myself speaking 200 words found in my novel so the actor could pronounce them properly. This is the definition of āfuck around and find outā when it comes to making up fantasy terms and names in a novelā¦! My book 2 deadline was also approaching, so I worked on that in between my recording.
Then Sunday arrived ā my panel was in the morning, and I was so scared! It was on this proper stage in a theatre hall, which wasnāt what I was expecting at all, I thought it would have been a much smaller event!
But it went SO well, the authors I was on the panel with were just so lovely and inspiring. Before the panel, we had been briefed by the staff that weād be led to the signing room after weād spoken so people could queue and get books signed. I was a bit nervous about this ā my book isnāt officially out yet, and while the conference shop had early copies to sell specially, I didnāt expect many people to buy it. BUT THE SHOP SOLD OUT OF MY BOOK! My signing line was so long! I couldnāt actually believe it! It was just such a fun and lovely time!!
Then we get to Monday 8th. I had a week to finish my Book 2 Edits to hand in on the 15th, and I had a written and another speaking Gaelic exam due on the same day. We had a night planned in Glasgow with Tobyās fam so I lost that evening which made me anxious(but it was fab, we saw Maggie OāFarrell and went to one of my fav restaurants for dinner).
9th June -15th were days of the exact same routine: up early, work on novel edits until 5pm. Quick dinner, gym, then from 7pmābed, Gaelic exam work & practice. I got everything in on Monday (yay), had a lovely day with pals, and now Iām diving into book 1 promotion. I have 3 interviews lined up and really need to up my social media (which I have made zero plans for tonightās posting. sigh! lol!)
I am wrung out, I am excited, I am living the dream and yet also the stuff of anxiety nightmares. we move!!!
