There hasn’t been much blogging recently, which isn’t to say that life hasn’t been eventful. Last week was taken up by a trip to New York, which always fires up the synapses. I think I usually walk fast, but New Yorkers zoom by at such a pace you can almost see the whizz lines, like in the comics. Although the impression was probably heightened by the fact that this time I could hardly walk at all, having done something horrendous to my back the week before. I’ve never had backache in my life, so it came as a grim shock to suddenly be in such pain that I was hobbling along with a stick, like some ancient crone in a legend. I had to beg BA for special boarding, with the babies and the wheelchairs. (I’ve seen the osteopath for some unjamming now. Magic! One or two more manipulations should fix it. Gratitude knows no bounds).
Crone issues apart, it was an intriguing few days. I met the team at Overlook Press, my US publishers, and heard about their plans for the hardback launch of THE ILLUSIONISTS on July 1. It’s quite a different experience from publication here. The book looks completely unlike the UK edition– much darker and more mysterious. Overlook is a small house, and they use ingenuity and boundless energy to get their books and authors noticed.
With Peter Mayer the legendary publisher, and President of Overlook Press
They hosted a chic lunch party for me to meet a group influential book trade people, including Carol Fitzgerald and her colleagues from Bookreporter, who advise eight thousand book clubs across the US, and Dawn Raffel from Reader’s Digest with eight million readers. Big numbers. The lunch was at 21 Club, a glamorous mirrored and wood-panelled cavern dating back to Prohibition days. Back then there was a system of levers that tipped the bottles of booze off the shelves and down a chute into the sewers whenever the police paid a visit.
21 Club lunch
I also had time to have dinner with my very first boyfriend, who has lived in NY for decades.
We worked out that it was exactly fifty years ago that we fell in love. Aaaaaah…
Now, barely even limping, I’m back in London and writing again. I think I have just about reached the mid-point of the new book and within and beneath the preoccupations of talking and responding and travelling, it’s what I’m thinking about…all the time, every waking moment. Is it working? Will it turn out OK?
Only time will tell.
Rosie Thomas 
Welcome back, Rosie. I’ve been scouring your blog for new posts and I am so glad to see one! Good to know about your trip (not so good about the back injury. Take care of it and listen to it when it ‘speaks’!) That looks a very swish restaurant – is it? 🙂 Your industry on the new book is astounding, especially when you think that it’s only been just over two months since the publication on ‘The Illusionists’! I’m so impressed and you make me feel very, very lazy! 😦 Whatever you’re on – I want some too, please!
Rosemary K
Hi Rosemary. How’s that quilt coming on?
Thank you so much for the update. I am so glad you have got relief from your back pain. I LOVED The Illusionists and can’t wait for your next book.
Hello Rosie, Had a bit of a laugh seeing you and Peter Mayer both with your walking sticks, first time for everything, hope the back is healing well. I`m a third of the way through The Illusionists and I`m enjoying the story you are weaving more and more, fascinating characters, especially the Swiss watch makers son and his macabre dolls. Devil didn`t sit right at first but now his crime is exposed it fits his pain so much more. OK back to my reading and woopie, you are off and running on a new book! Good to hear from you.
Fran
Francesca, I’m so happy to hear you ‘get’ Devil. I am having such a good time plotting his later life in the sequel… it doesn’t all go smoothly for him so far, but I don’t know how it (or he and Eliza) will end up…
Oh good I love sequels, it allows the characters to remain in my life so much longer and their stories deepen and broaden. How wonderful to have characters in your inner life who have lives of their own.
Hi Rosie, not finished that quilt yet – still darning in ends! I seem to be in the mood for finishing though, so have made a start on actually quilting a top I finished some time ago but now I have a poor sick machine! 😦 Looking at the sunshine, I think it just might be an excuse to get out there and enjoy some of it. I hope you are doing the same. 🙂