How’s the book doing, Chris?
Pretty well, thanks. Here are the figures:
1,371 sales
#1 in Political Humour
#32 in Humorous Fiction
(those are its highest positions)
4.6 stars (out of 5) average
16 reviews
In fact, lately I’ve been finding it a bit more difficult to maintain my habitual pessimism. Sales started to increase in late April, and for the last month it’s been selling about a hundred a week. I’ve had nice tweets, emails and messages about it too – all from generous people going out of their way to make me feel better. I’m very grateful to them.
I’ve also had some good press reviews:
“Not many books make me laugh out loud, but The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax is one of them” - Stylist magazine
“You can’t help being tickled” - The Guardian
“Shevlin was rightly picked up by the literary agency that represents the likes of David Nicholls“ - Metro magazine
What I’m getting at is that you might like it. If you’d like to buy it, click one of these links:
Kindle ebook | Amazon UK (£1.99)
| Amazon US ($2.99)
Paperback | Amazon UK (£7.99)
| Amazon US ($9.45)
Or you can get it directly from me (£7.99, sent first class the same day) by using this form:
Where’s it going?
UK £7.99 GBP
Europe £11.99 GBP
Outside Europe £14.99 GBP
Do you have any requests?
If you’d like to review it, I’d be extremely grateful. Here are the links for that:
Anyway, thanks for visiting my website. You might want to scroll down the page for my blog, or look at one of the relatively popular posts on the right. Alternatively, click ‘read the whole thing’ below to see the blurb and some more of the things people have said about the book.
The blurb
When Jonathon Fairfax accidentally helps a murderer bump off Sarah Morecambe, the secretary of a senior politician, he sets off a chain of events that astonishes him. This isn’t surprising – Jonathon is astonished by pretty much everything – but he is particularly shocked when he finds himself caught up in a plot involving a conspiracy that goes to the very heart of government.
Teaming up with a suave private investigator, a glamorous grannie and the probable love of his life, Jonathon must confront his greatest fears – including talking to girls and balaclava-clad killers – and answer some very difficult questions. Who murdered Sarah Morecambe? What is the strange secret that unites the entire British government? And what exactly does it feel like to kiss a real-life woman?
With its naïve, reluctant hero and wry look at modern life, The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax is a must-read for fans of Douglas Adams, John O’Farrell and Jonathan Coe.
Some Amazon reviews
“I rarely find the need to adore anything but I ADORE this book. I’m in imminent risk of losing my job because of my addiction to this novel, surreptitiously sneaking a page here and a chapter there. It is so refreshing to read an original, witty, non-cookie cutter book and I fervently hope Shevlin writes another soon!”
“Really funny and pacy. Some of the writing is reminiscent of P G Wodehouse. Very witty and accurate descriptions of London mixed with complete fantasy.”
“A highly amusing confection of political intrigue, private detectives and geek love. In style mixes a dash of the verbal dexterity and high-power backstabbing of the ‘Thick of It’ with the implausible coincidences and whimsical humour of Douglas Adams ‘Dirk Gently’, set in a recognisable 80s London. A very funny read.”
“Really enjoyed this one, great characters, funny and quirky. Would recommend this book to everybody. Can’t see how anyone would not find something to like and laugh at.”
Some tweets
“The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax by @chrisshevlin. If you’re on my Xmas list you’re getting a copy. Thank me in the New Year.”
“just finished reading ‘perpetual astonishment…’ Really enjoyed it. To borrow a phrase from young people, I LOLled reading it”
“just finished The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathan Fairfax, compelling, hilarious, clever, insightful, and a bit bonkers”
“Just finished ‘Perpetual Astonishment’……really enjoyed it. Jonathan is a great character. Many thanks!!!”
“just finished TPAOJF. thank you! ritz melee had me snorting on the tube, and neighbours straining to see book’s cover!”
Some comments on the Guardian website
“The extract made me think of Steve Toltz and Jonathan Coe. Perhaps writing after they’ve been out for a pint with Carl Hiaasen. … Good to hear about an author for whom the adjective ‘self-published’ does not seem to be synonymous with ‘self-proclaimed’. And good for you, Guardian; good to see good self-published work being found and reviewed.”
