End of Summer Updates

A Chill In The Air

Well, I woke up this morning to a very distinct chill in the air and realised that summer was done. Edinburgh (and Scotland generally) is very good and extremely clear at signalling the end of summer to you, making sure you’re completely aware that sun and warmth are done for and you’re on the long slide to the darkest depths of winter. I would say autumn, but Scotland doesn’t really do autumn. Once it has winter in its sights it is indefatigable in getting and staying there. Unfortunately, the same can never quite be said of coming out of winter, which seems to linger far longer than it is welcome, but that’s a discussion for another day.

It’s been a busy summer for me! I’ve moved house (the new place is lovely but still somewhat cluttered with unbuilt furniture and cupboards of doom where we have thrown all our extraneous stuff and pretended it doesn’t exist for the time being), my oldest child has started Primary school (!), my youngest has started playgroup, and I’ve started a new job. Change, change, change.

I also took a fair break from writing. Having climbed back on the proverbial horse in the last couple of weeks, this has proven to have been an excellent decision as I’m filled with an excitement and drive for writing that was just missing by the end of last spring. I’m not sure I quite realised how close to burnout I really was.

Nonetheless, I’m back, I’m writing, and I’m excited. It’s not been ‘officially’ announced yet, but as my newsletter subscribers I am giving you the privileged positions of being the first to learn that Harper Voyager have contracted me for two more books! The next one is already written and with my editor and should hopefully be out in about a year or so. I’m currently editing the one after that.

I won’t say too much about them now, but they are both (hopefully) just as thrilling, heartfelt, and exciting as Ascension, and, importantly, both significantly more ambitious and broader in scope, I think. I’m very excited for people to read them. The next one is the best thing I’ve written so far. The one after that I’m currently trying to make the best thing I’ve written, too.

Brief Ascension roundup

There’s been some nice buzz in the past few months with more readers finding my book and talking about it. Broken Binding have done a second reissue of their gorgeous sprayed edge special editions. Ascension hit the national bestseller lists in Spain, which was really fantastic. I did a lovely event with Argonaut Books for the Edinburgh Book Fringe. And amongst various reviews here and there, the prize for my favourite review goes to this piece in the New Scientist:

More translations continue to roll in and out. The wonderful Editoro Morro Branco have bought the Brazilian rights so we’ll have a Portuguese translation at some point. The Finnish version — Nousu — just came out last Friday. And I’m delighted to see that the Czech edition is matching the Hungarian for their cover, which is one of my absolute favourites (see below!).

Where I’m Going To Be

I’ve got a relatively busy September, but you can find me at the following places:

London

I’ll be down in London doing some pop-in signings at Forbidden Planet, Foyles, and Waterstones Piccadilly on the 12th - 13th September.

Bloody Scotland - Stirling

I’ll be doing a reading and a chat and a book signing at Bloody Scotland as part of the TM Logan and Steve Cavanagh event in the Albert Halls at 1.30 on Saturday 16th September.

PesText - Budapest

I’m off to Hungary at the end of September to take part in Budapest’s biggest literary festival as a guest speaker, which I’m very excited for. The Hungarians are loving Ascension and I just did an interview for Index, one of Hungary’s largest news outlets, on Monday in preparation for that.

What I’m Reading

Best things I’ve read recently are:

Titanium Noir - Nick Harkaway

So good! Couldn’t put it down. Loved the voice and the world and the mystery was just so tantalising. Big fan.

Burnt Shadows - Kamila Shamsie

A searingly beautiful work of literary fiction by one of my favourite authors about the impact of the bombing of Nagasaki on generations of immigrants across India, Pakistan, Japan, the US, Afghanistan and more. A heartwrenching tale of loss and love and I loved every moment of it.

The Lands of the Living and the Dead - Shauna Lawless

I’m very lucky to have read an early copy of the final book in Lawless’ Gael Song trilogy and I’m very confident in saying it is the best yet. She nails the ending and the whole book was unputdownable. Loved every minute.

In prep for Budapest, I realised that I’ve not read anywhere near enough Hungarian literature for attending a Hungarian literary festival, so have picked up some classics to knock through before the end of the month, including Journey By Moonlight by Antal Szerb and The Door by Magda Szabó. Really excited to dive in!

That’s it from me for now. Hope you’ve all had a lovely summer and have an even lovelier September.