Sunday 27 March 2011

Busy Times

Back in 2004 I wrote a biography of John Martyn for Helter Skelter, a small London. The book was accepted, but for several reasons, never published. Since then John died, early in 2009. A couple of books had come out about him, and I thought mine would never see the light of day – how many John Martyn books does the world need, anyway?

Then, a few weeks ago I received a call about the book from the heading up the release of John’s posthumous album and a tribute disc. All of which now I’m now doing more interviews and adding to the book to finish it. Solid Air – The Life of John Martyn should appear as an ebook and print on demand in June, through Amazon and also marketed via the website that will be handling the music releases.

On top of that I’ve finished going through the final page proofs for my second Richard Nottingham book, Cold Cruel Winter, to be published as a hardback in the UK in May (September in the US). The publisher has just accepted the third book in the series, The Constant Lovers, and I’ll shortly be working with the editor on that.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the fourth book in the series (tenatively called Come the Fear) tapped me on the shoulder and said I had to start writing it, and an entirely different novel seems to be happening as well, although I refuse to say more about it than that.

There’s also the business of earning my daily bread, so I’m working, writing articles and reviews, doing other interviews for features. If people say writers have it easy, don’t believe a word. Many of us work damn hard.

Sunday 6 March 2011

A Book Finished

This morning I finished the final read-through of my new book, attached it to an e-mail and sent it off to my agent so she can forward it to the publisher. That’s it, job done. Several revisions, two excellent critiques with changes made, and The Constant Lovers is off my desk.

As always, when a book that’s been so much a part of you goes it’s a case of mix feelings. There’s the pleasure of finally being done, of having given it everything, having lived, sweated and died with these people, loved them and hated them. Then there’s the sadness of letting go, off seeing this child venture out alone into the world, beyond my care.

And there’s also the oh shit, I have to do it all again soon feeling.

The good part with The Constant Lovers is that, from start to finish, the book took a little under six months while working other jobs, some writing, some not. The bad part is that it took a little under six months. A good book should take longer, right? I came into it right after finishing the previous book in the series (Cold Cruel Winter, which will be published in May), so the characters were strong in my mind, and I had a good idea what I wanted to do. But it’s not a course I’d take again. It’s just too much, too fast. More breathing space between is needed. So now I know that, and the fourth book has been taking shape for a few months. It’ll wait longer before I really begin, though.

Meanwhile, I can address that what next feeling. Seven years ago I wrote a biography on John Martyn that, for complex reasons, was never published. Since then the man himself died. This June a posthumous album will be released, along with a tribute album, and my book, revised and completed, will appear as part of the celebration of John. So it’s a welcome change-up to non-fiction for a few months (along with paid work) and music writing. And after that? Well, we’ll wait and see what happens…