This is the time of year when I reflect on the trials, tribulations and successes of the past 12 months. It's been a busy one for me. A new novel out and a story collection written, as well as several other stories for other anthologies in the bag for next year.
On the awards front, I was shortlisted down to five, being the only woman in the final line-up, for the British Fantasy Society Best Novel Award and also a finalist for ForeWord Magazines Book of the Year Awards. Both of these were for the second Vampire Gene novel Futile Flame. The third novel, Demon Dance, has just been confirmed as making the Eligibility List for Welsh Book of the Year for the 2011 awards.
Book sales have been at a record high since September and the launch of Demon Dance. I'm told that this is because readers really like to buy into a series. I had originally sold the Vampire Gene as a trilogy, but having finished the third book, I soon realised that there was in fact more stories about the characters that needed to be written. Therefore Book 4, Hateful Hearts, is now underway and my publisher Terry Martin at The House of Murky Depths has asked for first refusal - which is great because I am writing it with some surety that it will be published.
As well as this, my vampire immortals are now blogging - you can check out their views at Immortal Bloggers!
What's on the horizon for next year?
Well firstly, my story collection, Zombies in New York and Other Bloody Jottings, was sold to Telos Publishing and will be launched in LA at the end of February and at Waterstones, Trafford Centre, in the UK in March.
There will be a longer, wider spread, tour of Waterstones and several independent bookstores around the UK, Kicking off on 3rd March at Bookmark in Spalding with the Vampire Night.
There is now Vampire Gene/Sam Stone merchandise. These items will be made available to purchase at Gallifrey 2011 in LA in February initially, but will then be accessible from this website or at any of the events I'll be attending. So more details to follow in the new year.
Provisionally, Hateful Hearts, will be published in September 2011. We are aiming, once again, for a FantasyCon launch. But this may be available sooner.
Well, that's my year in view and I hope you'll join me next year on my continuing journey to make the Vampire Gene Series the most successful Dark Fantasy Novels of all time.
Happy Solstice everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment