A Family War is going to be my first published novel. I have the fortune of seeing it published through the small press I’m involved in, Alternative Realities. The stages to go through are many, detailed and nerve wracking, but the editing, re-writes and proof-reading are all done. 

We’re at the stage of formatting the book itself – which the awesome Matthew Sylvester is handling. Alongside that I’m working with Lawrence Mann on the cover – something I’m very excited about as Lawrence has done some amazing work (just google his name on google images – pretty much safe for work in case you were wondering). Once that’s all done the book will be ready to go. It feels like the hard part will only then arrive; will people read it and how will I help it be more than a tiny drop of water in a massive ocean?

The story is a thriller set on Earth in the future – it’s science fiction but it’s not about the science, it’s about a woman who discovers the shiny, pretty world in which she has been living is based on the misery of those around her.

Think Bladerunner meets Schindler’s list.

I have a whole host of concerns, fears and hopes about the story finally reaching the world as a book but I’m confident the story works, that the world it exists in makes sense and provides a backdrop which is interesting and well paced. Yet, in the end, I know that writing a good story probably isn’t enough for a book to survive its birth, it isn’t all that’s necessary for a story to live and take on a life of its own. So as we approach the point where I have covers to reveal, dates to talk, prices to think of and publicity to fear I’ll talk more about it – hopefully it will feel less like such cliff edge under my feet!