Annabel Pitcher's Blog, page 3

Publication Summary on 22nd March

Today I have been mostly trying to finish my second novel, Ketchup Clouds.  To paint a picture: coffee cups are piled up on the bedside table to my right; on my bed there's half a manuscript covered in my scrawl; my mum's dog is at my feet, badgering me for a walk; my laptop is on my knees; I'm wearing my pyjamas; my hair's in a high ponytail that makes it impossible to rest my head on the wall, thereby encouraging me to sit up straight and work work work work work. 

My wrists are aching. 

My eyes are tired. 

But I am sitting here smiling because the book is almost done.

Finishing my second novel while trying to move house and promote the first was ambitious to say the least.  I haven't really slept for three weeks.  It's been worth it though.  Seeing Mantelpiece on the shelf and getting to speak to students, journalists, bloggers and book shop owners about my debut novel has been an enormous privilege, and I have loved every second of it.  It is impossible to describe what I've been up to in the past few weeks, so instead I thought I'd do a sort of bullet-point summary.  Forgive my laziness – I'm approaching my twelfth consecutive hour on this laptop and my brain is FRIED.

Most exciting moment – walking into Europe's biggest Waterstones in Piccadilly (London) to be met with this fantastic display of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece. 

Scariest moment – talking about Mantelpiece live in the studio of BBC Look North.  It wasn't being in the studio that was terrifying.  It was seeing the replay later, blown up in high definition on my dad's huge TV and realising I need to get my teeth done.

Loveliest celebration – a glass of champagne or two at Bob Bob Ricard with my agent, editor, publicist and marketing lady followed by a congratulatory dinner. 

 

First ever book signing – at Orion, my publishing house.  The company provided a copy to everyone who works there.  People queued up to get their copy signed and I got to say thank you to all the folk who have worked tirelessly on Mantelpiece for the past few months. 

 

Most lump-in-throat moment – returning to both Holmfirth High School (where I was a student) and Wakefield Girls' High (where I was a teacher) as a visiting author. 

 

Schools visited – Holmfirth, Wakefield, Broughton High School and James Gillespie High School with the Scottish Book Trust, and Chorlton High School with HeadSpace.  Big shout out to you all!  Thanks for being such wonderful audiences.

 

Best comment by a student – 'You looked much younger in your photo.'

 

Best question – 'How many books do you want to write before you die?'

 

Biggest audience – about 800 people at Wakefield Girls' High.  My pulse was racing all the way through the assembly, and increased significantly when I realised I had to sing the hymn on stage in front of everyone.  I was worried my microphone was on and I was bellowing Abba Father to the Heavens.

 

Interviews given – Look North, ITV Calendar News, BFK Books, Scottish Book Trust, The Big Issue, The Scotsman, Write Away, Wondrous Reads, Teen Titles, and The Yorkshire Post.

 

Places visited – London, Cheltenham, Manchester, Wakefield, Leeds, Edinburgh.

 

So there you have it.  In between all of this I have been snatching a few hours of writing wherever possible, trying to fit in kitchen and bathroom appointments for our new house, looking at carpet and paint samples and talking to builders about patios and plaster.  Suffice to say, I am one very tired but very happy author.  Thanks to Nina Douglas, my publicist, for organising the chaos so magnificently. 

Of course a bullet point list cannot possibly do the experience of being published justice.  After such a long build-up, it crossed my mind that seeing my book on the shelf of a shop would be something of an anti-climax.  It is thanks to my family and friends that this wasn't the case at all.  I have been truly humbled by the amount of enthusiasm and support I have received.  From loved ones sending me pictures of themselves next to the book, to friends buying several copies for no reason, to neighbours popping round to get their copies signed, to phone calls and cards and emails and tweets and messages…  You have all made March 2011 one of the best months of my life.  Thank you.

Official Publication Day on March 1st

I was too slow to win an Olympic gold medal, too female to play for Manchester United like Eric Cantona, too hopeless at acting to win an Oscar, too scared of flying to be a travel documentary maker and too clumsy to be a spy.

The only other thing I wanted to do with my life was to be an author.  Today I am.  Officially. 

Buzzing!!!!!

Hunting for Mantelpiece on February 27th

Today I have mostly been thrilled about seeing my book on the shelf of a shop. Mantelpiece is not out until Tuesday 1st March (that's TUESDAY THE FIRST OF MARCH plug plug subtle plug) but for some mysterious reason it started appearing in shops last Thursday. As I was trying to summon up the energy to finish a tricky chapter in Ketchup Clouds, my phone beeped: mum's beaming face…  in a shop…  holding MY BOOK!  She'd just so happened to stroll into a random Waterstones and had stumbled across it.  I squealed a bit and made myself a celebratory cup of tea.  A few minutes and thirty seven words of Ketchup Clouds later, my phone beeped again.  A friend had seen it in Manchester!  I squealed again.  The dog looked at me like I was mental. 

I resisted the urge to run to the nearest book shop shouting I WROTE THAT  in an unsuitably loud voice.  But then my phone beeped for a third time.  Excited to find out which friend had seen it, I grabbed my mobile with shaking hands.  Apparently there's a 50% discount on all dry cleaning of curtains at Johnsons if you're interested and not on their texting list.

Concentration well and truly shot to pieces, I yielded to the excitement/curiosity/vanity and jumped in the car.  I had been waiting for this very moment for MONTHS.  I had dreamt about it, imagining the champagne I'd smuggle into the corner of a book shop, toasting my novel surreptitiously before going out for a posh dinner, probably in Paris or New York or somewhere else glamorous.  The town I was heading to was a little different from those great cities, but whatever.  It was the nearest place to find my book and I was driving there feeling really rather happy with life…

…until I pulled up at a traffic light and the engine cut out.  I managed to get the car working again, but then the acceleration went bonkers, slowing down one moment, spurting forward the next.  Kangarooing my way up the road, I persevered.  It took all sorts of red flashing lights and exhaust fumes to convince me to pull in at a garage and admit defeat.   

Today, though, walking through central London with my husband in the pouring rain, we saw a Waterstones.  Not feeling very optimistic about finding the book before publication day, we decided to wander inside on the off chance.  Heart beating a little faster, I looked in the teen section.  Nothing.  I searched the kids' section and it wasn't there.  Disappointed, we turned to leave.  But then my husband exclaimed.  Pointed.  There, hidden away in the teen section, was a solitary copy of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece.  Water in my shoes, hair soaking wet, freezing cold and bloody hungry, I just stared at my book.  Smiled.  My husband squeezed my hand.  The world's best champagne and fanciest dinner couldn't have topped that moment.

David Tennant on February 15th

Today I have mostly been listening to the wonderful DAVID TENNANT reading my audio book. When Pandora, the audio producer at Orion, told me that she had approached him to do the recording of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, I laughed into my cereal. 'We aimed high,' she said. 'So don't get your hopes up.' I didn't. The thought was preposterous. The man famous for Doctor Who and Hamlet reading my debut novel? Never.

When she called back a few days later to say that he had accepted, I choked on my cereal (a different bowl – I'm not a slow eater, nor do I have magical replenishing Shreddies). What's more, David was keen to do the reading as soon as possible, so I packed a bag and dashed off to London. Walking into the studio to hear the words I'd written read by an actor I so respected was fantastic. They were coming up the stairs as I approached the recording room and I paused for a moment. Listened. Thought Bloody Hell, that's bloody David Tennant reading my bloody book, then put on my author face and opened the studio door. As you'd expect, he was lovely – a complete professional and insanely talented, reading the book perfectly in almost one take. We chatted a bit between recordings. Drank coffee. Ate cheese toasties.

I had a little go on the microphone once David had finished, taking three billion takes to record the acknowledgements at the end of the novel. After that, I changed into a dress in the loos and rushed off in a taxi to the Orion author party at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. There were canapés, plenty of champagne and Michael Palin. A surreal day.

All things Dutch on February 10th

Today I have mostly been excited about the Dutch publication of Mantelpiece – next week! In fact, if your loved one speaks Dutch and has a penchant for children's fiction, perhaps you could buy them a copy of my book as it's out in Holland on Valentine's Day. I am *sure* that any girl would prefer it to a sparkly set of earrings or a dozen red roses.

The promotion of Mantelpiece in Holland is in full swing. Pimento/Mistral, my publishers over there, had a nice stall at the Dutch press fair: 

And there are a few bits and bobs online. If you speak Dutch and have nothing better to do, you can read them here and here. 

In other news, we are in the process of moving house. After twelve hours of packing boxes and frantic cleaning, we managed to get out of our last place last Friday – only to find we couldn't move into the new one. I won't bore you with the details for fear I might smash the computer in frustration. Suffice to say, we're now at my parents' house, squeezed into my old childhood bedroom with all the boxes we need and couldn't put in storage. With the deadline for Ketchup Clouds and the USA edit deadline for Mantelpiece fast approaching, I have no choice but to work, so am currently spending my days hunched over my laptop on my bed, propped up on pillows like some sort of hospital patient and trying to ignore my mum's mad dog. I bet JK Rowling didn't write Harry Potter like this. Still – it is lovely to be here. Food made. Cups of tea brought. Fresh towels put in the room. Awesome.

Trailer Launch on January 27th

Today I have mostly been sitting in the Covent Garden Hotel trying to prepare for my first ever My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece event this evening. And by prepare I mean making tea in the little teapot, staring in the mirror and trying to conquer my nerves. Orion have organised a bit of a shin dig for me and some literary folk to premiere the book's promotional trailer (you can find it on the books page if you're interested). The director and actor did a great job capturing the spirit of the novel so I'm delighted with it! Hope the reviewers etc like it too. I'm then going to do a small interview type thing hence the reason I'm on my third PG Tips, practising my answers. 'Hi, I'm Annabel, author of The Mantelpiece Lives on My Sister…' Never done anything like this before. Will let you know how it goes.

Earlier this week I was in Suffolk at a book signing. When my publicist said I would be signing 1500 books, I imagined a long line of excited school kids and me perched at a table with a brand new fountain pen, discussing literature with enthusiastic teenagers. The reality was somewhat different. I did sign 1500 books, but in a cold printing factory not a book shop. Still. It was amazing. Up there with my life highlights actually. Up until then, I hadn't seen a finished copy of the book, let alone 1500 of them, all piled up and brand new and ready for the shops. It even had a blurb. A blurb. On my story! I guess I can finally say that Mantelpiece is a proper book and not just a manuscript on A4 paper on my IKEA desk in Yorkshire. Exciting times.

Big TVs on January 23rd

Today I have mostly been scared of my new 40 inch TV. Inspector Morse is massive. Like having the real John Thaw solving crime in the corner of the living room. And it's faulty, which makes the characters' faces quiver ever so slightly, almost like they're leering. We're sending it back and getting a smaller one. A 40 inch Simon Cowell, false teeth the size of marble tomb stones, is too horrifying a prospect. Annoying really, especially as this TV was supposed to be A Treat. My husband and I have been struggling with our massive ten-year-old box for about a million years and we had, up until last week, resisted the urge to get a brand new sparkling flat screen. Even when the 'on' switch broke, rather than replace the TV, we invented a contraption to jam the button in. So what if you had to grab the Bible, wedge an old crutch against it on the carpet and balance the other end on the broken switch to hold it in place? It only took ten minutes to set up. When Curry's come to collect the faulty flat screen, we'll have to go back to the old wind up one for a while. Hope the NHS can spare the crutch for a few more weeks.

Thumb Sucking on January 1st

Today I have mostly been trying not to suck my thumb. It's always one of my New Year's Resolutions, and I always fail. I have tried everything – salt, foul tasting ointments, plasters – and nothing works. May have to chop them off this year. Twenty eight is too old to be a thumb sucker. So's ten, truth be told. Must try harder. Get the Domestos. Couple of mouth blisters might put me off.

Happy New Year by the way. Oh, and welcome to my blog. I'll update it twice a month or if anything interesting happens. 2011 is going to be an exciting one for me as my debut novel's out on March 1st. This time last year, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece had been rejected by the first agent I had tried and getting a book published seemed like an impossible task – up there with all those other things I want to do but secretly know I never will (run a marathon, become fluent in a language, stop sucking my thumb). I was feeling particularly downhearted because, despite liking the book, the first agent turned it down on the grounds it was 'commercially disastrous'. Eeek. It never occurred to me to consider anything so Dragons' Den as commercial viability. I just wrote a story – one that I found funny and sad and as true to life as I could possibly make it – without doing any research into Market Gaps or Current Trends or What Young People Like To Read Nowadays. I thought I'd made a huge mistake, devoting months of my life to a story that would never sell, and was consequently in something of a sulk last January.

That all changed a couple of weeks later with a phone call from the Felicity Bryan Literary Agency to tell me the agent Catherine Clarke had liked the start of my novel and was interested in reading more. Cue much squealing and cheering. I was in the ladies' loos at work at the time and had to write the contact details of the agent on toilet paper. I kept it though. As you do. One day I'll eBay it for thousands and give the money to charity if I can resist the temptation to buy a cottage in the Lake District. Catherine read the rest of my book and called me back. I answered nervously, expecting to hear the damning news that the novel was a commercial catastrophe. Thankfully, she said something rather different and so began the most exciting year of my life to date. Here's hoping the next twelve months will be as good as the last.