Tag Archives: debut novel

Interview with a Writer~Yasmin Hanif

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Today I’m really excited to welcome my friend and writer, Yasmin Hanif, onto my blog. I first met Yasmin at an informal Writers’ meet up group, where we do writing sprints and chat about our projects, and the ups and downs of the writing life in general! (and drink nice tea and eat snacks). Yasmin has been so encouraging about my own books and writing; a real cheerleader for other writers, and this has helped me stay motivated (more than she probably realises!). I was so delighted when Yasmin told me her amazing news that Floris were going to publish her debut picture book, Abdullah’s Bear Needs A Name! and even more delighted to attend her launch at Waterstones the other week (thank you Yasmin’s Mum for the very tasty Samosas and Pakoras, and to Floris for the cake!). It’s a beautiful book and I wish Yasmin lots of success with her writing career. Read on to find out more about Yasmin’s writing journey, with links to buy her book at the bottom of the post.

Yasmin is a Scottish writer and educator, specialising in children’s literature. She was shortlisted for the Kavya Arts Prize in 2023 for her story which became her debut picture book, Abdullah’s Bear Needs A Name! (Floris, 2025). She has contributed to various poems in anthologies including ‘Daisy’s Mum’ in Stay At Home (Cranachan Publishing, 2020). She was a writer in residence at a primary school and worked on their project to promote diversity and inclusion within children’s writing and publishing, which won the SAMEE Aspiring Writers Award and the Scottish Education Curriculum Innovation Award 2022. 

When did you first start writing?

I don’t remember exactly when I first started writing but I remember that I started storytelling from a young age. My sisters and I would make up stories and act out the characters that we had created when we were little. I think that started my love for stories and writing.

What do you write?

I write all genres of children’s writing from picture books, poetry, middle grade to young adult. I also delve into short stories and poetry for adults too.

What was your first published piece of work?

I think my first written, fictional piece of work was a poem called ‘Daisy’s Mum’ in the Stay at Home anthology by Cranachan Publishing. This was a collection of specially curated poems and stories by 40 writers based in Scotland to help children aged 8-12 deal with the lockdown during the pandemic.

Why do you write?

There are so many reasons why I write from seeing the joy on people – especially kids’ faces – to the connection it brings between people, ideas, and experiences. I love the sense of humanity it brings out – the connectivity through emotions. I also love engaging with people when writing is performed whether that’s through readings or the discussions it brings about.

On a broader stroke, I think writing and bringing literature to as many people as possible is important for education and improving literacy levels; particularly making children more critical thinkers, and for them to be empowered for their future. Finally, I also enjoy creating something from scratch and I hope that my words have a positive impact on those reading them.

What, or who, has helped you on your writing journey?

So many people and things from writing communities to courses. However, I think the biggest thing that has helped me is finding like-minded people who also write in your chosen genre. They have been very supportive and it’s useful and encouraging to speak to different people at different stages of their writing career. I also worked with a local primary school in the West of Scotland when I started out as a writer. The experience I gained from that was also invaluable.

Share a writing low with us. What did you learn from this?

I had been subbing out my stories for a while and at that time I had also become unemployed from my main (non-writing) job. I kept getting rejection after rejection and it really felt like I was going nowhere. I was just about to give up when I got an email from a publisher saying they loved my book and were taking it to an acquisitions meeting. I really needed that. I learned that hard times can last a long, long time but the most important thing is that they don’t last. So never give up or at least keep going.

Share a writing high?

I recently had my debut book launch at Waterstones, and it was a real dream come true for me. I had friends and family there and did a Q&A and reading from the book. It was a surreal moment being on that stage answering questions and engaging with the audience. There was also homemade food which was themed with the Eid feast in the book and a bookish cake with good chatter. I was on a high from it for about 2 and half days after it!

Share some of your favourite lines from reviews, or comments you have received about your work, which boosted your confidence (tell us what piece of work it relates to)

As I mentioned, I recently had my debut picture book, Abdullah’s Bear Needs A Name! published (illustrated by the very talented Sophie Benmouyal) and received a wonderful review by Kids’ Literature Scotland:

“A beautiful and necessary book. It is wonderful when Scottish children from all cultural backgrounds see themselves reflected in stories…This gorgeous picture book is an encouraging step on that journey.”   

Any tips for new writers?

I would say keep writing, learning, experimenting in your practice and meeting like-minded people. Soak it all up and enjoy the process – from that will come your creativity and possibly your best pieces.

And for all writers; any tips for keeping motivated? And how do you find time to write?

Motivation and finding the time to write can be two of the most challenging things. Through motivation you write, and conversely through writing you find motivation, so it goes hand in hand. As I mentioned about find likeminded people to write with, whether that’s informal creative writing groups, workshops, retreats – somewhere where others are writing too, which helps you stay motivated and accountable.

Do you have a regular writing routine, or do you write in frantic bursts?

I do write in frantic bursts! I always use the phrase, ‘I try to steal time if I can’ – what that means is finding little pockets of time whether that’s 5mins or 25mins!

Where do you write? (A dedicated space, or on-the-go)

I mostly write at home, but I find I do need to switch it up occasionally to keep inspired so I’ll write in my local library or with a friend in a public space like a university or café.

Any stand-out books you have read recently?

I like reading autobiographies and memoirs, and really enjoyed Matthew Perry’s memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. I found it incredibly honest, raw and captivating.

For children’s literature, I’m currently reading The Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. I’ve only started reading it but so far so good!

Where can we find your book and find out more about you?

Links to buy Yasmin’s book here: Yasmin Hanif books and biography | Waterstones

Abdullah’s Bear Needs a Name! – DiscoverKelpies

You can follow Yasmin on Instagram:  @yhwrites

Interview with a Writer ~ Lynsey Helen Mitchell

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Today I’m delighted to feature debut author Lynsey Helen Mitchell on my blog. Lynsey is a friend and colleague. We work in different offices now, and I was excited when I found out Lynsey had completed her Young Adult horror book. Not for the faint-hearted, The Dark Twin, is a perfect tense read for when the nights draw in, and you want to scare yourself a bit…. Here’s Lynsey’s interview below, and I wish her lots of luck with her writing career (have to add I admire the motivation to write in the morning before work!). Links to Lynsey’s social media and where to buy her book are at the bottom of the post.

Biography

Lynsey was born in Clydebank and studied Creative Writing and English Literature at Middlesex University, graduating in 2011. She is employed as a careers adviser, and lives in the West of Scotland with her boyfriend and cat and they are expecting their first baby boy. Lynsey recently released her YA horror, The Dark Twin, which is her debut book.

When did you first start writing?

I started writing when I was a child, always enjoying any opportunity to write stories as part of my school work, and spending time at home writing stories. I would enjoy writing stories and poems about the family pets and different friends and family members.

What do you write?

I mainly enjoy writing fiction – short stories and longer pieces. I love horror and thrillers, so all of my stories are around this genre.

What was your first published piece of work?

The Dark Twin is my first published piece of work, although I’ve been published on a website for winning a short story competition before.

Why do you write?

Because I love it. I find it therapeutic to just get lost in my story and switch off from the real world.

What, or who, has helped you on your writing journey?

Speaking to other writers, like Vikki and learning about their experiences. The book On Writing by Stephen King gave me a lot of insight into the mind of one of my favourite writers and how they found their (very successful) writing style. Taking part in challenges like NaNoWriMo help me to become productive. While it doesn’t produce a finished product, it helps to start a first draft and to get a proper feel for my story.

Share a writing low with us. What did you learn from this?

After losing my mum in 2013, I had so much going on, that the last thing I could think of was sitting down to write. I took the opportunity the following year to take part in NaNoWriMo to get myself motivated again and this helped me to rediscover my love of writing.

Share a writing high?

Publishing The Dark Twin. It was the NaNoWriMo project that sat on my shelf for far too long, so I was proud of myself for finally getting it published.

Share some of your favourite lines from reviews, or comments you have received about your work, which boosted your confidence (tell us what piece of work it relates to)

Some of the comments I received about The Dark Twin include:

“I couldn’t sleep a wink after reading it.”

“Couldn’t put it down.”

Any tips for new writers?

Find a routine and style that works for you. Some writers advise to write every day, but that doesn’t work for me. I prefer to write when I feel inspired.

And for all writers; any tips for keeping motivated? And how do you find time to write?

Like I’ve said, challenges like NaNoWriMo help to motivate me to sit down and write. In the last few years, I’ve found myself being more productive in the mornings, getting up a little earlier before work and getting some writing in before I start.

Do you have a regular writing routine, or do you write in frantic bursts?

I’m definitely more of a frantic burst kind of person. If I love what I’m writing, the story comes. Sometimes I feel like I need to write it down before I forget it!

Where do you write? (A dedicated space, or on-the-go)

I definitely don’t have a dedicated space. It doesn’t work for me. Sometimes it’s the kitchen table, sometimes the couch. Just wherever I feel most comfortable.

Any stand-out books you have read recently?

A few great books I’ve read recently include Keep it in the Family by John Marrs, Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.

Where can we find your book, and find out more about you?

A link to buy The Dark Twin: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Twin-Lynsey-Helen-Mitchell/dp/1068161507/

Author Website: https://lynseyhelenmitchell.co.uk/

Instagram: lynseyhmitchellauthor

TikTok: @lynseywrites

Submission Stories #Part 1 (blog post 9 of series)

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In these posts I’m moving more into a personal ‘behind the scenes look’ at my submission experiences for my three Young Adult books. I’ll do a post for each book. I’m doing these posts because I love to read about other author’s journeys. I find it motivates me and makes me feel less alone in what is quite a mad creative world. Also for all three books I’ve had very different experiences, which resulted in me taking more personal control.

Prior to ‘Book 1’ there were other books, but I refer to them as my practice novels. I completed my first typed ‘novel’ (as opposed to the many, let’s call them ‘novellas’, I had written in jotters) when I was about thirteen, and received my first rejection from a major publisher.  I wrote a magic realism contemporary novel in my early twenties and sent this out to a few publishers and one agent. I randomly met the agent’s assistant at an event and he said he pulled my book out of the slush pile and enjoyed it. (The agent making the decisions, didn’t). Years later I bumped into him at another event and he asked what happened to it. I am sure you are thinking I should have persisted with this one. But I felt I could write better, and by that point I had started to focus more on writing Young Adult, because most of the ideas that were forming in my head seemed to lend themselves better to having teen protagonists. So here’s some highlights of my submission journey with my debut Young Adult novel, which eventually did reach publication back in 2015.

Book 1 – Follow Me

When I first started writing Follow Me something took over. It was the first time a book seemed to take on a life of its own and perhaps because I was living alone at the time, once I had established a basic plot, characters, and written my prologue (which set the tone and gave my protagonist a ‘voice’), every time I sat down I was able to immerse myself fully in the world.

A couple of people who read Follow Me talked about the ‘hypnotic’ characters and feeling like the writing contained some kind of undefinable ‘magic’. I mention this, not to ‘big up’ my book (though I will always have a soft spot for this story), but because it aligns to how I felt early on when ideas and chapters unfolded. I could feel the magic driving this one, and I knew deep down this was going to be ‘the one’; the book I was going to get published, because it was the first time I properly felt like I knew what I was doing structurally, and was excited by the story and characters. Also, something in my mindset had changed. I had started to send out short stories, and was reaching publication, and being placed in competitions. I was starting to believe I could be a ‘serious writer’.

When I had nearly finished my first draft I submitted the book to the TC Farries competition at the Scottish Association of Writer’s conference and won first place.

A well-established children’s author was the adjudicator, and said it contained the ‘magic’ needed to captivate a YA audience. This gave me the confidence to finish it, fine tune my manuscript and start subbing to agents. Colleagues at the time discovered print-outs of my first few chapters and their excitement at reading, and wanting to continue reading (along with my Mum’s encouragement, and another writing friend) all kept me going…

And then when I started to sub to agents I got emails from about three asking very quickly to read the full manuscript. I was on tenterhooks waiting for replies as you can imagine.  But then the rejections started coming in.

Here’s a snapshot of some rejections.

Unfortunately, the premise involving twins is too similar to another title on our list. We wish you the best of luck with placing your work.

Many thanks for sending me your submission, which I read with interest. I’m afraid, however, that I didn’t feel passionately enough about it to offer you representation. You write well, but I’ve just taken on a book which deals with teen suicide so this feels too close to it for me. Our business is subjective by nature and another agent may well feel differently. I wish you the best of luck with that.

I realise now how lucky I was to get some personalised feedback. The landscape of publishing has changed a lot and it can be rare now to get any response.

The most disappointing knock-back was a rejection from an agent I met face to face at a York Writing Festival who was so excited when she read my first three chapters, and was so lovely in person. The type of agent I would have been happy to work with! Interestingly I really didn’t gel with a different agent at my other 1:1 and she suggested quite a graphic, dramatic change to part of my opening which made me feel uncomfortable. This experience showed me the importance of finding the right agent or publisher. Someone you connect with, and who understands your story.

This was the rejection email from the excited agent (I had to wait over 6 months for this, and it felt like a loooong wait):

As you know, I was really excited by your novel when we met in York, and I very much enjoyed reading the complete manuscript. It’s stayed with me and I’ve been ruminating on it since. The premise to the novel is really interesting and I think you write very well for this market. I love sister/twin stories too! I do think there is a lot of potential here, but I’m afraid I don’t think, at the moment, this stands out in what is a crowded market. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but do bear in mind that another agent may feel differently.

I was gutted to get such a positive rejection.

I kept going.

A BIG publisher were doing a call-out for a new teen digital-only imprint, and wanted the full manuscript emailed.

I received this exciting response from one of their editors: Thank you for sending Follow Me to xx for our consideration. I enjoyed reading it and think that your accessible voice matched with the dark and emotional subject matter makes it well suited to the list. …..  (The email then contained some editorial suggestions)…Of course we would discuss all of this later should we decide to acquire Follow Me but I just wanted to check with you before I share the script with the rest of the team whether Follow Me is still available for publication and if you would be open to editorial suggestions such as those I’ve mentioned.

I responded positively. A month later I got this response:

I just wanted to let you know that because it’s been so hectic here, I haven’t taken Follow Me to our acquisitions meeting yet, but I hope to do so next Wednesday and so I should have a decision for your shortly after that.

Then… SILENCE.  Six months later, still nothing.

Around this time I met a different publisher, who ended up taking Follow Me, at a networking event. I nearly didn’t speak to him, because I had already submitted Follow Me to them via their website submission process, but he said he didn’t remember reading it, they’d had server issues, so to email through the whole manuscript.

I emailed the big publishing house to let them know a Scottish publisher had shown interest, and another editor got back to me apologising saying the first editor had gone on maternity leave. She asked me to keep her posted on what happened, and she would read my submission again. Because I was offered print publication (and because the big house had just kept me hanging) I accepted the offer from the Scottish publisher. I had received an email from the Scottish publisher one night saying they had finished reading Follow Me and asked to meet me. Because of the ‘nearly there moments I’d had already’, I still wouldn’t let myself believe it was going to be positive news. But it  was at the face to face meeting I received an offer for publication.

It was fast-moving from there. The meeting took place at the start of April, with a publication date set for October the same year (this is very rare). It was a whirlwind which led to lots of doors opening for me in terms of opportunities to do talks and workshops in schools and in the community. I’ll talk more about those another time. The rollercoaster of ups AND downs continued, something I don’t think many people prepare you for, when you reach the goal of publication.

And sadly, with my second book I found myself back out on submission. I’ll focus on parts of that story in post 2.

I’ll leave you with some things I learned along the way from the first part of this journey:

My tips:

Spend time preparing your submission. Perfect your synopsis and intro email, along with the sample chapters. Follow the submission rules (you’re doing yourself and your book a disservice if you can’t take the time to read these properly and get them right).

If an agent, editor, or publisher takes the time to give you feedback, know that this means they really do see potential in your work and if the feedback contains constructive criticism, take time to reflect and take on board what they say

If you’re pitching to agents and you have the opportunity to pitch to them in person (to allow a face to face conversation) take it! A five minute conversation can tell you so much about the other person, and a two-way conversation allows you to see if they are on the same wavelength about your book

If you’ve spent time perfecting your craft, your book is well-written and enticing, your success now is going to rely a lot on being in the right place at the right time, connecting with the right agent/publisher, and persistence

Related to this: make the most of any writing related networking events you are invited to. Sometimes introductions to the right people means you are noticed and remembered when submitting/pitching

Don’t send your book out to one agent at a time. Any agent who says they want an exclusive read is worth avoiding (unless you’ve made some sort of personal connection with them, but even then I would say no- you’ll find out why in my next blog post). They can take six months, or more, to get back to you (IF AT ALL – the ghosting is real). A lot of very successful authors have had their manuscripts rejected 20 + times, so do your maths on that one. if they were sending them out one at a time, waiting months for responses

Forge friendships with creatives who understand the pain of the ups and downs of this journey. If you detect jealousy and negativity try to spend more time with people who lift you up. Trust me, at ALL times in this weird creative world, even when folk think you are doing well, you need to surround yourself with positive people

And to help us all keep the faith, some famous rejections:

Lisa Genova, Still Alice: about 100 rejections (or non-replies) from agents (info from Lithub.com)

After getting very little positive feedback, Genova opted to self-publish her book. Eventually, it was acquired and re-issued by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and proceeded to spend 40 weeks on the New York Times best seller list, and was made into a film.

Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler’s Wife: 25 rejections from agents.

After getting rejected by 25 agents, Niffenegger sent the book directly to a small San Francisco publisher, where an editor discovered and loved it. It became a best seller and was also made into a film.

One of my favourite books of recent years was Lessons in Chemistry. Here’s an interview with author Bonnie Garmus at Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper (you can read the full interview here https://www.mariashriversundaypaper.com/bonnie-garmus-lessons-in-chemistry/) – Did you indeed receive 98 rejections before Lessons in Chemistry?

“Yes! And they were all from agents. What happened was I had written a novel that was approximately 700 pages…Finally, agent number 98 said that she would read part of it…She wrote back the next day and said, ‘You write well, but you don’t understand this industry…’ The email was pretty nasty, but it was also a very big help. She said, ‘No one’s going to look at a debut author’s 700-page novel—ever. Do yourself a favor and write a novel of appropriate length, and you can send me that when you finish’—which I never did. But that all turned into Lessons in Chemistry. I started completely new. “

Reading these stats makes me realise I’ve never been this persistent. Talent, persistence and resilience. These are the magic ingredients.

Who is Andy Warhol?

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andy warhol FM image

When Follow Me was released I received lovely gifts from friends, a few of which were Pop Art/Andy Warhol themed, because of the influences in my book. The photo above shows a very thoughtful gift which was put together by my very creative friend, Rebecca – I love it so much and it is a brilliant memento to hang on my wall!

Last year there was a bit of a Pop Art resurgence, with a Pop Art exhibition opening at the Tate Modern and the BBC recently devoting a whole week to the movement, broadcasting excellent documentaries such as, ‘How Pop Art Changed the World: Soup Cans and Superstars’ (by Alastair Sooke), and ‘A Day in the Life of Andy Warhol’ (by Stephen Smith). I was really interested to watch these as a lot of the observations and themes were ones I had written about and studied during my time at University, which then fed into aspects of my Young Adult novel, Follow Me.

When studying Pop Culture as part of my undergraduate degree in Communication and Mass Media at Glasgow Caledonian University, I developed a fascination with Pop Art, and in particular one of the forefront artists, Andy Warhol.  Warhol’s art was inspired by pop culture. He produced work which focused on celebrities and incorporated media headlines and everyday consumer products, such as Campbell Soup Cans and Coca-Cola bottles, into his art work. He used repetitive images, reflecting sameness and loss of originality.

I continued to read about his art, and life, long after I graduated, all of which influenced the idea to feature an underground hangout in  Follow Me called the Barn, modelled on Warhol’s infamous ‘Factory’.  Warhol’s Factory studio was a magnet for celebrities and misfits – the artist’s workplace transformed into a social meeting place, attracting not only those in the art world, but film stars and other music icons.

As the plot for Follow Me began to form in my head I thought about how attractive and appealing an underground hang-out might be for a group of bored teenagers stuck in a small town where not a lot is happening – especially if out-of-town attractive art students were the creators. The Barn within my book offers an escape and holds an allure for the young people, but there is a darker side to the hangout, creating the mystery element of my story.

What always struck me was how perceptive Warhol was about the direction society was heading, in relation to our obsession with fame and ‘the surface image’. He championed the idea that ‘art is for everyone’ and should be accessible to the masses. He was credited with the infamous line, that, ‘In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.’ With the oversaturation of reality TV and the oversharing of our daily lives – through personal photos and video clips on social media channels – it appears that today everyone is indeed having their fifteen minutes of fame. Society’s obsession with image and fascination with celebrities, (a fascination which appears to deepen when they die young, at the height off their fame), sparked off other themes within my novel.

Warhol became more than just his art – everyone wanted to know him and be with him. He actively encouraged and embraced this fame and recognition, and also constructed an ‘image’ of himself to portray to the world (donning a wig and sunglasses).

Through my studies I became more fascinated with the story behind his art work, and to me he became both an Icon and product of the postmodern world -Warhol himself is the art.

Sooke stated something similar in his Soup Cans and Superstars documentary, saying Pop Art images are now ripped off and used to sell products.

On the night of my book launch I wore an Andy Warhol ring -a clay construction of his face, created by an artist Flamingos and Giraffes on Etsy. Unfortunately Andy’s face fell off sometime during the after party! I’m sure this is fitting in some way…

I also wore a pair of Campbell Soup Converse trainers to my first school event. The quote on the shoe box is from Warhol  ~ Art is what you can get away with. (He used to customise his own Chuck Taylor trainers with silk screens). If you pop into the gift shop in the Gallery of Modern Art you’ll find Campbell Soup prints, donning the names of areas in Glasgow.

If you ever hear people mention Andy Warhol and wonder who he is, take a look around – his art is out there, in many forms, waiting to be consumed…

 

 

Follow Me gets a mention in Books of the Year

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FM

I’ve had a wee bit of a #famousforfifteenminutes type of a weekend. I was really excited to see Follow Me mentioned in the Books of The Year section in the Sunday Herald Life magazine, chosen by Scottish Crime Writer, Alex Gray as one of her favourite reads of 2015. My publisher, Strident, has the write-up on their website, which you can read here .

I was also apparently featured on the cover of a Renfrewshire free paper on Friday, called Paisley People, but I have yet to get my hands on a copy of this to see the article!

I’m also delighted that my author profile is now live, (after a wee bit of a delay), on the Scottish Book Trust Live Literature Author Database. You can see that here  This means that schools and community organisations who are registered for Live Literature Funding in Scotland can book me to do a workshop/talk, with support from SBT. Here’s more information about this great scheme here

 

 

 

 

 

In the Press and other excitement

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greenock telegraph

 

I was delighted to see an article in The Greenock Telegraph today about Follow Me.  I grew up in Inverclyde, and even although I now live in Renfrewshire, I work down in Greenock and it’s nice getting to stay close to my roots. I’ve posted a snapshot of the article at the top of this post.

I’m really looking forward to doing an author event for school pupils at Greenock Central Library early next month, as well as going in to talk to 4th year pupils at a school in Gourock, and one in Glasgow later in November.

Last week I was part of an author team for the West heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz, which took place at Our Lady’s High School in Cumbernauld and it was lots of fun. The pupils from a range of schools across the West of Scotland put us to shame with their amazing knowledge of literary classics and modern books.

My talented friend, Rebecca, also did a brilliant post about Follow Me on her creative website The Magpie Diaries recently. I loved how she centred her post around the Keats Poem, Ode on a Grecian Urn, which is quoted in my novel. You can read her post here  Another writer, Patsy Collins, also asked me to write a post for her blog about my book launch experience. I had lots of fun writing this for Patsy and it was nice to see so many people interacting with that post. You can read that here

Lastly I noticed other day that if you order Follow Me through the Foyles Bookshop website you can get it delivered anywhere within the UK Free within 2 days. Here’s a link to their site here

You can also request it in Waterstones or buy on Amazon (that link is on my homepage).

 

Launch Night

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Cupcakes!

Cupcakes!

Follow Me ~ the books!!

Follow Me ~ the books!!

Famous for 15 minutes

Famous for 15 minutes

Me reading at Cafe W

Me reading at Cafe W

Last Friday evening was the launch night for my YA mystery, Follow Me, at Waterstones, Argyle Street in Glasgow, with my publisher Strident Publishing Ltd. What a night! I really couldn’t have asked for a better launch – I took along my mini coca-cola bottles, with Marilyn Monroe badges, encouraging everyone to be ‘famous for fifteen minutes’ by joining in posting about the launch on social media, with the hashtag #followmetothebarn (I had lots of fun looking through the tweets the next day). I also had my cupcakes with edible book cover toppers from the brilliant eatmyface.co.uk. My publisher, Keith, at Strident, was kind enough to supply wine and other soft drinks and my parents also brought along other savory nibbles.

My publisher, Keith, did a Q&A with me and I read out short extracts from my novel in-between. He knows Follow Me nearly as well as I do now, so his questions were very intuitive and it made it feel like a friendly conversation. I was overwhelmed by the amount of support from friends and family and it was brilliant looking out into the audience at such an encouraging and happy crowd! I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t feel nervous at all, which kept me calm when reading, and meant I enjoyed every minute of the night.

I had my first taster of signing books at the end, and it felt surreal, but amazing, to be sitting in Waterstones surrounded by my own books, with people wanting to buy a signed copy!

A strange co-incidence of the evening was when I met two women on the stairs, who were looking down at the set-out chairs, wondering what was going on. I invited them to come along, and later, after postings on social media, I realised one of them was part of a book group who had communicated with me via Instagram a couple of weeks ago. Neither of us had realised on the night! She was kind enough to write a little post about my launch here 

Afterwards I went for drinks to Drury Bar and Kitchen and they played a perfect selection of rock and alternative old-school tunes. It was lovely to be able to share such a special night with so many friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen for years. Even my old Primary Head Teacher turned up, which really made my night!! She was always so encouraging of my reading and writing in my last couple of years at primary school.

I’ve put up slideshow of photos on the right hand side bar of my homepage – see if you can spot yourself! Big thanks to Derek Mooney who took loads of photos on the night and to Lorna McLaren, Peter Morrison and my Mum, Rosemary, and other friends who posted photos on social media.

Thanks again to everyone who came along and made it such a brilliant night. It’s one I’m never going to forget.

You can order Follow Me now on Amazon here or order into your local Waterstones here

Ready for Take Off!

Posted on by vgemmell

montage

Tomorrow is the BIG LAUNCH for Follow Me at Waterstones, Argyle Street, Glasgow 6.30pm. I’m putting the final preparations together today for little things I want to take along. I’ve put together a montage photo (at the top) with some moments from my day yesterday. One big moment was getting to hold my book Follow Me for the first time in my hands – such a great feeling! And I also received a pop art card from one of my work colleagues – that’s me, Andy Warhol style, which is just brilliant. All of my work colleagues, friends and family, have been so supportive and excited for me and it makes the whole run up to launch day even more exciting for me!
The coke bottles are a little extra thing I am taking along to my launch, keeping in with the Andy Warhol, pop art theme.

One of my biggest champions since I could read and write was my Mum, the writer Rosemary Gemmell, and I was delighted to be interviewed on her blog yesterday. You can read that here  I couldn’t ask for a more inspiring and supportive Mum and it’s brilliant being able to share a love of words and writing with her. I was so happy when she got her brilliant book, The Highland Lass published earlier this year (one of many), as I know this was a story close to her heart, and I think this is probably my favourite book of hers.

There will be updates from launch night soon!!

Launch Night ~ Waterstones, Argyle Street, Glasgow

Posted on by vgemmell

book launch

So excited to reveal that my launch for Follow Me will be in the Argyle Street branch of Waterstones in Glasgow on Friday 9th October at 6.30pm. There will be drinks, some nibbles and of course book signings! I’ve been lucky enough to attend book launches in the past for writer friends and it feels amazing to know this time I will be the author at the event.

Read my book blurb here on the website of my publisher, Strident.

Come along to the event and hear more about the inspiration behind my book!

Final Cover Reveal!!

Posted on by vgemmell

 

Follow me front cover

The cover design for Follow Me went through some last minute, quite dramatic, changes the other week and I am delighted to be able to reveal the final finished version above. The artwork/photography is by artist Ida Henrich, and I am really happy with how it turned out. It makes everything feel very real seeing my name on a book cover!

I was lucky to be consulted about my cover (I wonder how many authors are?). My publisher, Strident, even asked me to write a short brief of any ideas I had before work began. I had always visualised woodland being central to the image as Eddison Woods is a central feature in my story (and leads to the Barn). I love the green light in this too.

The release date is 30 September, so not long to go now. As my counter states on my home page – 21 DAYS TO GO!

My launch event still to confirmed – will post details as soon as I know…