THE ILLUSIONISTS is out there and I’ve been thrashing about in the coils of the new book for what feels like a long time – but is really only since mid-January. I have written perhaps a third of it. It’s not an easy one, and it’s hard to be disciplined when the sun’s shining like it is today and there are exuberant green shoots springing up in unexpected places – including my narrative. Time for a creative break, and luckily I’m about to get one.
I’ll be heading to the north of England and then down to south Wales to visit libraries and bookshops and to talk at the Cowbridge Festival and the Wiltshire Federation of Women’s Institutes. I love meeting real readers and book buyers. Sometimes we London types get too caught up in book prize gossip and publishing chat and general FOMO anxiety, and it’s good to travel to somewhere else and talk to people who want to read a good story.
Details and dates for these events are on my News page. If you are anywhere in the vicinity, please come along.
In the next post I’ll be writing about the e-book launch of a favourite title of mine – not a novel at all, but a sort of adventure/autobiography featuring old cars and a Mars-Venus clash…
Here’s a picture.
Rosie Thomas 
Rosie, if you are a third of the way through the new book already, you are doing extremely well! You must have had your head down into work constantly – and therefore a break can only be good for you! 🙂 Wonderful news about all your books being available in e-format too. From the photo, I guess you mean ‘Border Crossing’ which is one of my favourites and threw up so many questions in my mind, so maybe your next post will answer some of them. Enjoy your time away from your desk and I hope the weather stays good for you.
Rosemary K
Hi Rosie,
I purchase you book Peking to Paris a number of years ago and to my shame I have only just got round to reading it. I’m enjoying it very much and will now look for more of your books. The subject matter is close to me as I have been playing with rally cars since the late 70’s, Lady Agrippa (my long suffering wife) says I have never grown up……think she may be right. This is a link to our facetube sorry Facebook (that’s my age and limits of all things electronic/modern coming through) page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kellys-Heroes/150091445067001?ref=hl Kelly’s heroes have been together for some time now. We used to compete at the sharp end with many respectable results and some outright wins in our 4 wheel drive 30bhp Mitsubishi Evo 8. We decided to go back in time and have a MK1 Ford Escort RS 2000 built to use in the forests, it is immense fun. The events are over in a day with about 45 competitive miles in the forest and maybe 90 on the road, a different kind of adventure than yours. We use the same kind of ball and arrow route books for the road sections as you did. However in the stages the navigator reads proper descriptive note and is a real contributor to the competitive outcome. If you ever fancy a day out in the woods navigating in a forest rally let me know.
[https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1379829_529884870420988_491446759_n.jpg]
On our way to 6th overall and first in class
Take care and keep up the good work
Regards
Andy Kelly
Crawford LeMay
22 Carmyle Avenue
Glasgow
G32 8HJ
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Hello Andy, I hope you enjoy the book after the long run-up! I am very flattered to be asked to join you as navigator for a forest rally but I’ve checked you out via the link and you look FAR too professional….
Have fun