When I last wrote there were two things worrying me. The first was that Amazon might blast me into space with Jeff Bezos for missing the publication deadline for my next novel The Cove. The second was that my back had exploded into levels of pain I hadn’t even imagined existed, or at least assumed were reserved exclusively for childbirth, and hence not something I would ever have to worry about. But I also had a third fear, secret and buried deep…
I was also privately worried that I might never finish The Cove, because every time I tried to do so,, I’d realise my final touches made another part of the book not make sense. And when I went to fix that part, it would break the thing somewhere else. I didn’t want to resort to the worst possible ending – having the hero wake up and realise it was all a dream, and it seemed wrong to conjure up aliens and wrap thigs up that way. (Dear reader, I thought you deserved better than that).
But full disclosure, I was solely tempted.
So I’m delighted to write to you today to tell you that not one of those fears came true. Jeff Bezoz didn’t come knocking on my door with his space helmet and a hopeful expression on his little round face. My back is a lot better (albeit my dreams of an Olympic gymnastics gold medal lie in tatters). But best of all The Cove is finally, gloriously, genuinely finished (well nearly, see below). And though I don’t like to blow my own trumpet, the enforced break might just have allowed a rather elegantly balanced finale to emerge from the debris of my shattered body and mind*).
Granted it is now quite late. I have missed my publication deadline for a second time with Amazon – and I do want to offer sincere apologies to everyone who’s pre-ordered it. But I hope it’ll be worth the wait. I think it’s good, and there’s no doubt it’s the deepest and most thought-about plot of any I’ve written.
The book is currently going through its first round of proofreading (that’s Maria on the sofa with a printout, a red pen and a suspicious-smelling herbal tea.) It will next go through several other rounds (beta readers stand by, I’m coming for you) before finally being declared fit for human consumption* and hitting the stores in the next few weeks. Hooray!
And just to say I am now quite a bit better. The back is not quite fixed, so that tying my shoelaces is still something of a challenge, but I have servants for that (call them what they are – children), and I can walk and even run about without pain. And as this email proves I can even stand at my fancy new sit/stand desk and write proper good sentences. Mostly. So I’m doing OK. And once again, thank you all for the messages of support, they really helped.
I really hope you’re doing well too, and I’ll be in touch again soon with a new (real) publication date!
Gregg
* hopefully.
If you’d like to pre-order
The Cove (go on, jinx things why don’t you?) you can do so here:
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