It’s strange but true that as the publication date of a new novel comes closer, the novel itself seems to get further away.

It’s to do with the long gap that always comes between writing and being read, during which life intervenes. I finished the last work on THE ILLUSIONISTS proofs back in September and since then I’ve been on a long semi-research trip to Central Asia, spent a fun week making a promotional video for the book (more about that below), and at last immersed myself in writing the first chapters of the next book. All this activity has pushed the content of the last one quite a long way to the back of my mind. I’ll have to read it again myself before I can answer any questions!

Actually, I won’t. I’ve never re-read any one of my 20-odd novels. I can’t imagine what that would feel like, except unsatisfactory because of all the ways I now know by which they could be improved.

The single one of my books that I DO re-read is BORDER CROSSING, which isn’t a novel but a sort of travel/autobiography about competing in the Peking to Paris car rally in 1997. I like to relive all the adventures and dramas my co-driver Phil Bowen and I shared on our flat-out dash halfway round the world. The book’s been out of print for some time and the rights are mine, so I had hoped to put it up via this website as a sort of Christmas offer to friends and followers. Sadly it turned out I wasn’t up to the technicalities of doing this alone so I decided to do it commercially, and of course process (the mighty Amazon’s process, that is) has intervened and it isn’t ready yet.

It will be soon though, at a bargain price, and it’s a fun read. NOT just for old-car buffs, I promise.

The video for THE ILLUSIONISTS is all ready, and – full of excitement – I wanted to share it immediately. But those who know better (publicists and marketeers) advised me not to do anything with it until the new year, because everyone’s inboxes are already full up with Christmas. So I’ll put up the link in early January – look out for it here from the 6^th.

And as part of the sales hoopla surrounding THE ILLUSIONISTS, my publishers will be releasing digital versions of some earlier titles previously unavailable in this format, with smart new cover artwork – look!

It’s been all go at RosieThomas MegaCorp HQ.

I’m off to India now, to Kerala, for a short Christmas holiday. I’ve only ever been to the Indian Himalayan regions and to Delhi, so I’m looking forward to this new experience. No research involved this time – just family. Luckily Santa came early and I’ve a new Kindle with lots of good reading on it. I’ll be keeping this one wrapped in cotton wool. I sat on the last one in Kazakhstan and squashed it blank.

There are some pictures from Central Asia under the ‘Gallery’ tab.