Author event

I spent a nice afternoon yesterday at the Croft Tea Room in St Mary Cray, Kent and over sandwiches, cake and a cuppa listened to John Love speak about writing his first book and getting published.  The friend I went with found out about the event.  She knows the owner of the tea shop and was telling me all about it and the events the lady puts on. When I heard about the author event I said 'that sounds interesting.'  So she booked it and there we were!

I warmed to John Love quickly as I read the hand out sheets - we both like Morecambe and Wise, books and he is a Tottenham Hotspur fan.  John's book is a sci-fi novel entitled Faith.  He said that although the idea came to him complete it took him years to write it.  He had over those years written down paragraphs on bits of paper but once he retired from the music business he sat down to finally write and completed it in fifteen months.  He recommended a website called AgentQuery to search for an agent.  His agent is actually from the USA but whether luck or just that he is such a good writer his book was published in 2012, he has another book soon to be published and he is working on a third.  He did say that having had one book published he now felt as if he had been uncorked and the writing was flowing.  He has ideas for other books. What I found interesting is that he said all his ideas for books came complete so he knew the beginning, middle and ending and rarely strayed from that.

I found him an interesting and likable guy. He was keen for people to ask questions and one was about motivation.  He said that he 'did something' everyday, even if it was a little editing or to check something as some days he didn't feel like writing.  John's wife said he would shut himself in a room upstairs and would be writing at 2am.  That time of day wouldn't suit me but everyone has to find the time that is right for them to write.

Regarding promotion he said that mainly his Agent did it but he has a website.  He admitted that while he has a Facebook page he never uses it because he doesn't really understand how it all works.  Nor does he yet have a Twitter account.

John's book has been translated into Russian and I think he said Bulgaria were interested.  He has also had Warner Bros sniffing around!

I have to say that the plot of the book Faith sounds very complicated and while I love watching sci-fi movies I don't as a rule read sci-fi novels even though most of my stories (never submitted!) lean towards sci-fi! John's second book, when he explained it, sounds more my thing (I can reveal that it is called Evensong) and I will be watching out for it.  Still, at the end of the afternoon I decided to purchase a copy of the book and give it a go.  John and I had a nice chat and he signed a copy of the book for me.  I do wish him luck and we writers (successful or still struggling) need to stick together.  I told John that I had just finished reading a book so I would probably start his straightaway, which is what I have done.  It is too soon for me to say much yet as I've only read a few pages but do have a look at John's website.