I'm writing again!

As one all-encompassing project ends, another starts...

A big old box of books and stickers before posting!

It’s been a solid week of signing, packing and posting out my crowdfunded Kickstarter book, The Little Shop of Magic. (If any of you missed out on backing it, there will be some copies going up on my website shop soon!)

Having never done anything quite on this scale before, it was an incredible experience. I’ve always wanted to do a Kickstarter campaign, so yes, it does feel like an achievement. I can definitely put my feet up now for at least twenty minutes a day (YEAH RIGHT! WHO AM I KIDDING?)

As you probably know I pretty much did it all by myself – apart from actually printing it of course – from doodling the idea years ago right through to sending the printed, finished book out to readers. What you’re getting with this book is TOTAL ALEX. Yes it was effort, and an awful lot of responsibility to get things right (and a BIG thanks to

Katie Lee

for her tech input, editing nous and helping out at every stage), but I would absolutely do it again and tell everyone who could do it to experience it for themselves.

If nothing else, I’ve learned a great deal about how books and the publishing industry works. But also, and more importantly, the direct connection with readers has been wonderful. It’s a lovely thing popping thank-you notes in a book, doodling on an envelope, being a bit ‘customer service assistant’ about the whole thing. I used to work in a shop and I really liked helping customers. It’s these relationships and conversations with readers that make me love my job. And then seeing the books in the hands of happy readers afterwards is the icing on the cake.

What a treat to see photos of The Little Shop of Magic actually being read! :) Thanks to Asha for letting me use the photo!

What now?

So what next? Well, I’ll likely do a second kickstarter later in the year with book two in the series. I have the ideas and the determination to go through it all again. It’ll pose new issues I’m sure, but second time around things will be much easier. I just need to work out how to fit it in around everything else. I need another six hands!

As for everything else, I’m currently writing the second Captain Sunshine book while the kids are on their Easter break. I’m hitting my required thousand words a day and thoroughly enjoying doing it. Sometimes writing comes easily and this seems to be one of those moments. When you’re in the groove, much like Austin Powers, you just have to keep being groovy.